Janssen hasn’t released Phase III data yet but says the next-generation androgen receptor inhibitor showed potential benefit for metastasis-free survival.

J&J’s chief scientific officer Dr. Paul Stoffels tells Scrip that flexibility is a hallmark of how the company goes about its collaborations, including the new $30bn deal with Actelion. Stoffels is also hoping to progress the science for a new TB medicine via a unique collaboration in India.

In this tale of two companies, it's the best of times and the best of times. J&J gets immediate value by acquiring Actelion's blockbuster PAH franchise and its late-stage pipeline, while its stake in an Actelion spinout offers longer-term potential.

VenBio has $315m in new cash to invest in a broad array of therapeutics developers now that it has closed its second venture capital fund, which raised $65m more than the VC firm originally intended and reflects big pharma's increasing commitment to backing early-stage life science companies.