BioMed X teams with J&J on inflammation, drug delivery research. Stem cell firm Calidi inks licensing deals with U. of Chicago, City of Hope and Northwestern. MD Anderson teams with Blueprint and Hummingbird.

Taysha gains control of GAN candidate and program; BI licenses COMT inhibitors from Lieber Institute; plus three new gene therapy-driven tie-ups between biopharma and academia.

Pyxis says its three preclinical ADCs, acquired from Pfizer and LegoChem, offer immunomodulatory effects as well as direct killing of tumor cells. It hopes all three will reach Phase I in 2022.

VC deals totaled $8.3bn in the first half of 2019, but the year's total rose to just $11.5bn at the end of September, reflecting only a $3.2bn third quarter gain. Among recent financings, Cygnal emerged from stealth mode with $65m invested to date.