Plus deals involving Ono/PeptiDream, Onconic/Livzon, Teijin/Novartis, Eisai/Biogen, Abbisko/Allist, Daewoong/M8, GC Biopharma/Catalyst and KYM Biosciences/AstraZeneca.

Shionogi is hoping to demonstrate the efficacy of its oral COVID-19 candidate Xocova through an appropriate primary endpoint in its Phase III trial, while the Japanese firm is also eyeing global expansion for the drug should a world-first domestic approval be granted.

Cidara gets $30m up front for US rights to the weekly echinocandin candidate for candidemia and invasive candidiasis. Takeda walks away from oncolytic virus candidate licensed from Turnstone.