After the financing draught suffered by Korean bioventures in 2023, it now seems the VC market is poised for a recovery as investors shift attention again to the healthcare sector, with a spotlight on AI-based solutions and device firms.

Only one biopharma group is actively trialing a GLP-1 agonist in the condition. It might not be alone for long.

Private Company Edition: Three consecutive $100m-plus venture capital rounds include Obsidian’s series C, a $132m series B round for Alterome and Diagonal’s $128m launch. Also, The Medicines Company’s Clive Meanwell reportedly is heading up a well-founded obesity start-up.

The US firm’s lead program has flunked a mid-stage trial in early Parkinson’s disease and, despite a promising efficacy signal in a younger patient cohort, its future remains uncertain.