Private Company Edition: Two companies raised multiple hundreds of millions of dollars each helping to keep the number of $100m-plus venture capital mega-rounds on the rise in May. Also, Ascend raised $132.5m to make gene and cell therapies, and Nido emerged with $109m for neurological diseases.

Already partnered with Oxford Nanopore through its acquisition of deCODE Genetics, Amgen invests in the UK biotech to enhance its genomic capabilities. Aclaris licenses dermatology product Rhofade from Allergan. Other recent licensing and alliance deals... 

The dermatology company is able to offer a continuum of care for patients with the skin condition now that it has received FDA approval for a third product to treat the condition. The latest offering treats the most mild form of the condition.

Actelion is paying a $25 million upfront for an option to acquire Ceptaris Therapeutics, contingent upon the latter’s receiving FDA approval for its only asset, Valchlor, which faces an August PDUFA date. If the deal closes, Ceptaris will receive another $225 million plus milestones from the Swiss-based biotech.