Unexpected protocol changes and a single-blind design for a Phase III head-to-head trial seem to have played to the advantage of Junshi’s oral derivative of Gilead’s antiviral remdesivir in COVID-19.

Plus deals involving Zai Lab/Karuna, Zai Lab/Blueprint, Lotus/PharmaMar, Nippon Shinyaku/Dynacure, Alphamab/Ascletis, Aptose/Hanmi, Shanghai Pharmaceuticals/HUYABIO, KoBioLabs/SPH Sine, CURACLE/ Théa Open Innovation, Signet/XtalPi, Curi Bio/NEXEL, CANbridge/Scriptr and Ligand/CRDC.

Private Company Edition: New capital for health care and life science innovations include a fund for royalty deals, additional anti-infective funding, early-stage money and public health-focused cash. Also, Day One reveals a $130m series B venture round and Notch closes an $85m series A round.

Transparency is the order of the day as Médecins Sans Frontières calls for more disclosure on vaccine deals signed by Sanofi/GSK and other companies.