Clinical-stage biopharma Starton Therapeutics is developing continuous delivery systems and transdermal technologies to improve the safety and efficacy of existing cancer medications, and eschewing VC firms in favor of retail investors. Chair and CEO Pedro Lichtinger recently appeared on Unicorn Hunters, an online reality TV show, to pitch the company to celebrity judges, and the public at large.

BI and Epizyme’s collaboration will focus on developing novel cancer drugs targeting helicase and HAT enzyme dysregulation. MorphoSys and I-Mab will partner on developing an IO therapy targeting C5aR.

Novo Nordisk's decision to free up resources for R&D investment means 1,300 lay-offs across the company by the end of the year. The Danish group is meanwhile stockpiling medicines and bolstering its supply chain outside the UK in case of  a 'no deal' hard Brexit, its CEO says.

Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen tells Scrip that recent successes in stem cell research and the on-going advances in artificial intelligence helped prompt the Danish group to revamp its R&D activities.