AvroBio retains rights to its other HSC gene therapy candidates. Alimera Acquires Further Commercial Rights To Eyepoint’s Uveitis Drug.

Ahead of the usual flurry of deal-making in January, Roche gets retinal cell therapy candidate from Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Pfizer subsidiary Amplyx licenses antiviral candidate to Vera, and GSK expands neurology tie-up with Ligand.

Roy Jakobs was appointed internally to head connected care at Philips on 28 January, shortly before COVID-19 forced the first of many lockdowns around the world. The disruption prompted a rapid rethink of priorities, which has shown opportunities for lasting health care system change.

Further details of Merck KGaA/Pfizer-funded JAVELIN Bladder 100 study presented at this year’s ASCO confirm avelumab’s survival benefit when used as front-line maintenance therapy in patients with advanced urothelial cancer that has not progressed following initial chemotherapy.