Iterum Therapeutics and Genoa Pharmaceuticals topped the list of biopharmaceutical start-up firms closing new venture capital rounds in May with $65m and $62m, respectively, to advance drug candidates for bacterial infections and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

As academic labs fill gaps in discovery work once performed by biopharma companies, Roche is confident that a U.S. consortium of academic drug-discovery units will lead to broader partnerships between industry and academia and within the academy itself. Plus, MedImmune acquires ADC specialist Spirogen and other deals from the past week.

The dealmaking column is a survey of recent transactions, including strategic alliances, mergers & acquisitions, and financings, in the life sciences industries. Deals are listed by the following industry sectors: in vitro diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and research/analytical instrumentation and reagents. All transactions are excerpted from Elsevier's Strategic Transactions database, providing comprehensive transaction coverage from 1991 to the present.

Our monthly update on technology transfer deals--licensing agreements between companies and universities or other research institutions--in the fields of life sciences, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, in vitro diagnostics and research/analytical instrumentation and reagents.