Based on promising Phase II data, two companies in South Korea are moving ahead with late-stage development in the gout space, with JW Pharmaceutical getting approvals to begin a multinational Phase III program for epaminurad, while LG Chem has recently submitting an application for a new Phase III trial with its contender tigulixostat.

Private Company Edition: In the latest round of $100m-plus venture capital financings, CG Oncology, MBX Biosciences and Jnana Therapeutics raised $120m, $115m and $107m, respectively. Also, MVM Partners closed a $500m fund and former Sage CEO leads incubator ABio-X in Massachusetts.

GSK is the first to raise the functional cure rate with its antisense drug, Phase II data suggest, but the company is looking for ways to boost responses across hepatitis B patients in its Phase III study.

California biotech also notes prior licensing deal with Gilead for mitochondrial candidate. Twentyeight-Seven acquires RNA-splicing cancer candidate from Basilea.