EcoR1 and Casdin/Corvex took their second and third special purpose acquisition corporations public. Also, Ionis sold notes to buy back older notes and fund operations as it cut 70% of Akcea’s staff. In venture capital, ValenzaBio raised $70m and RA boosted Metagenomi’s series A to $75m.

Major Japanese firm sets targets under a new mid-term plan that envisages the US oncology sector leading growth and revenues, and also casts an eye to novel assets beyond three pillar antibody-drug conjugates and new digital technologies.

Idecabtagene vicleucel for fifth-line multiple myeloma lags GSK’s BCMA-targeting ADC Blenrep, but it is months ahead of J&J/Legend’s CAR-T. Abecma is BMS’s second CAR-T approval this year.

The center is partnering with Obsidian to make autologous TILs work better after being infused back into patients by using IL-15, which may be less toxic than the high-dose IL-2 currently used.