Continuing parent firm Gilead’s busy deal-making year in immuno-oncology, Kite gets option rights to new targets. Boehringer teams with Israel’s BiomX in IBD research.

The US FDA heard a lot about the structural, medical and especially financial barriers facing coccidioidomycosis, or Valley fever, drug development soon after the agency refused to qualify the rare fungal infection for priority review voucher incentives.

Currently running a Phase IIb NASH trial with VK2809, Viking reported at EASL that 16-week data in a Phase II study of NAFLD patients showed sustained liver fat reduction after treatment ended.

Private Company Edition: The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine’s half-year report shows the sector raised $10.7bn in the first half of 2020 versus $9.8bn raised in all of 2019. Also, DCVC Bio closed a $350m fund, new incubator opportunities and VC mega-deals for Dyne and Atomwise.