RXi thought it had solved the RNAi delivery issue but was focused on dermatology and ophthalmology. New CEO Dispersyn thought the platform offered more lucrative promise as a way of optimizing IO therapy.

In its continuing efforts to diversify away from opioid pain drugs, Purdue partners on non-opioid program with Alivio. Rigel licenses Tavalisse rights in all indications go to Spain’s Grifols.

Private investors, including Japanese e-commerce mogul Hiroshi Mikitani, backed a $150m Series C round for Rakuten Aspyrian and its photoimmunotherapy platform. Also, pharma-backed therapeutic video game developer Akili boosts Series C to $68m, and Summit garners additional BARDA funding.

Fortress Biotech’s subsidiary will add the lentiviral gene therapy now in pair of Phase I/II trials to its pipeline. RXi partners with Karolinska to advance its self-delivering RNAi technology, while Avalon enlists Weill Cornell to enhance its CAR-T capabilities.