Confirming rumors of an acquisition, CSL will venture into some new territories as well as boost its renal franchise when it takes over Switzerland’s Vifor Pharma in a deal worth $11.7bn.

A couple of months after licensing the late-stage kidney disease drug sparsentan from Travere, the Swiss group has beefed up its nephrology activities by buying Mallorca-based Sanifit and Swiss outfit Inositec.

The firms hope academic research can yield first-in-class therapies and spinout companies. Also, Yale unveils research alliances with three biotechs.

Anixa obtains cancer vaccine targeted to proteins common in breast cancer from Cleveland Clinic. Arxx licenses Cancer Research UK antibody that targets tumor microenvironment.