The new year begins with good news.

Novo Holdings is set to invest €86m in 21st.BIO A/S – a new Danish bioindustrial scale-up company – to boost the production of proteins.

Ocular gene therapy specialist Gyroscope Therapeutics Holdings plc is to be acquired by Novartis AG for up to $1.5bn.

Dutch metabolic disease specialist NorthSea Therapeutics NV has baged US$80m in a Series C fundraising co-led by Ysios Capital and Forbion Growth.

French-British magnetic trap specialist Depixus has raised €30,6m to develop a commercial instrument based on the company’s MAGNA™ technology.  

Ichnos Sciences Inc. has licenced the gobal rights on its IL-1RAP antagonistic antibody ISB 880 to Almirall SA for the treatment of autoimmune disorders.

Biologicals and vaccine specialist CSL Ltd is set to acquire Swiss Vifor Pharma Ltd for CHF10.9bn.

German Apogenix AG has received a €26m in funding for a pivotal Phase III study of its CD95 ligand blocker asunercept for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The 2021 spin out of London-based Francis Crick Institute is the very first UK company formation deal of life sciences investor ATP (Apple Tree Partners). 

Italian pharma company Recordati is putting €750m on the table to acquire UK-based specialty pharmaceutical company EUSA Pharma.