The Leverkusen-based firm has been touting the potential of its pharmaceutical pipeline which it hopes will be able to help soften the blow of patent expiries on the blockbusters Xarelto and Eylea in the next few years.

Private Company Edition: China-focused Nuance Pharma led recent venture capital deals with a $181m series D round, RayzeBio closed a $105m series B and SciNeuro launched with $100m plus other notable rounds from Edgewise, Reneo, BioAge and others.

The Dublin-based venture capital group will be looking to replicate the success of portfolio companies Inflazome and KaNDy, recently acquired by Roche and Bayer respectively, with the biotechs backed from its latest fund.

While the legal woes over the seeds giant Monsanto continue, the German group's pharmaceuticals business posts unspectacular third quarter results.