New company licenses obicetrapib from Amgen after previous companies’ setbacks in CETP class and works with FDA on a Phase III protocol. BMS buys protein-engineering specialist Forbius.

Chinook launched less than two years ago to develop precision medicines for chronic kidney diseases and will have three drugs in the clinic in 2021, including a Phase III candidate for IgA nephropathy.

Private Company Edition: Several drug developers targeting neurological diseases raised venture capital recently. In addition to Nura Bio, Encoded Therapeutics revealed a $135m series D round. Also, Longwood closed a $170m fund and Flagship launched Omega Therapeutics with $85m.

UK-Rapid Test Consortium claims the CE marked, professional-use test is 99.4% accurate and plans to produce 500,000 tests a month from October and one million a month starting in 2021.