The JP Morgan conference uptick in biopharma deal-making has begun with more than 20 deals announced this week, including the latest Bayer/Evotec partnership and Pfizer’s cancer tie-up with eFFECTOR.

With its first microbiome fund completing its investment period, French venture capitalist Seventure Partners has raised more than €100m of a €200m target for its second microbiome-focused fund.

Finance Watch has noted $1.1bn worth of venture capital deals so far in 2019. Meanwhile, public offerings continue to be muted by the US government shutdown, though Revance and others sold shares. Also, Five Prime and others reveal layoffs and strategic shifts.

Galecto Biotech recently raised €79m in a Series C funding round. Chief medical officer Richard Marshall spoke to Scrip about how it plans to invest the capital in its pipeline treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.