Many industry leaders expect broad progress in the field of RNA technologies following the rapid and successful roll-out of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 last year. Genetic medicines of various types, emerging platforms for tackling previously “undruggable” targets and the microbiome were among other areas singled out as areas to watch in 2022.

Plus deals involving GC Cell/Rivaara Immune, Sperogenix/Santhera, EOFlow/Zihipp, Grand/ITM, Tasly/Sutro, LegoChem/Iksuda, Nuance/Aerogen, Frontier/AffiRiS and Piramal/Yapan.

Private Company Edition: Flagship’s Pioneering Medicines initiative and the firm’s portfolio companies will deliver cystic fibrosis drug candidates. Also, recent venture capital financings include cloud technology firm Saama’s $430m round and Shoreline’s $140m in new funding.

Gene therapy remains attractive when data show new technologies can advance the field, but gene regulation, editing and RNA therapies are grabbing investors’ attention, panelists said at ARM’s Cell and Gene Meeting on the Mesa.