The pandemic has shaken up investor priorities and changed the outlook for health care start-ups – or has it? Nooman Haque managing director, life sciences and healthcare at Silicon Valley Bank, gives his view of what has changed over the past year, and looks at future trends.

Newly public Aligos will team with Merck & Co. on oligonucleotide therapies for NASH. Maze Therapeutics launches ophthalmology and CV-focused spinouts with Alloy and BridgeBio.

The latest financing round will also support a new clinical trial of the RNS system for children with epilepsy.

Total takings from October's venture financing deals may not have been the highest, but the $295m raised by the 20-plus transactions last month is enough for 2017 to trump 2016 in total deal value – with more room to widen the gap.