Deal Snapshot: VectivBio is expanding its existing focus on rare diseases into inherited metabolic disorders, which affect about one in 800 live births and cause significant mortality in infants and young people.

The board members of Vectura, a manufacturer of inhalers and inhaled drugs, have approved a $1.4bn takeover bid by Philip Morris International, the manufacturer of Marlboro cigarettes.

Private Company Edition: With $8.9bn raised in the second quarter, venture capital investment in biopharma companies reached its second highest quarterly total to date – behind only Q1 of this year. Also, Nimbus Therapeutics raised $105m and European drug developers get in on the VC action. 

Intellia’s announcement of the first in vitro gene editing proof of principle sent shockwaves through the life science investment space. But are there still many known unknowns.