Private Company Edition: Publicly held Ascendis outsourced its preclinical AMD program to private Eyconis. Also, Innovation Endeavors revealed a new $630m VC fund and Mirae raised $50m for its first life science fund, while Accent, Comanche and Tr1X each brought in $75m rounds.

Plus deals involving Advanz/Dimerix, Boehringer Ingelheim/Zeiss Medical Technology, Roche/Ionis, Kriya/Everads and updates from the world of technology transfer.

Neuroscience and oncology fuel high hopes for therapeutic R&D progress among 90-plus surveyed biopharma industry leaders.

Digital female-centric primary and preventive care and fertility support were top-funded women’s health segments in 2021, drawing $668m and $330m in investments, respectively. Going forward, experts anticipate innovation to address unmet needs related to menopause, vaginal microbiome, endometriosis, and other chronic conditions, and surgeries such as hysterectomies and mastectomies.