With later-stage in-licensing assets becoming harder to find, Merck is seeking to work more often and in varied ways with academic and institutional researchers to advance its pipeline. Recent tech transfer deals include Cancer Research UK’s transactions with ProNAi and Artios.

Rather than wait for regulatory approval prior to commercial-scale manufacturing, Novartis is proving out its global commercial manufacturing process for a CAR-T cell therapy in a Phase II clinical trial as questions remain on how to translate the manufacturing process from the research laboratory to the factory.

Derived from Strategic Transactions, Informa’s premium source for tracking life sciences deal activity, the Dealmaking column is a survey of recent health care transactions listed by relevant industry segment – In Vitro Diagnostics, Medical Devices, and Pharmaceuticals – and then categorized by type – Acquisition, Alliance, or Financing. This month’s column covers deals announced in June 2016.

In Q1 2015 start-ups raised $2.74 billion, a new record. Biopharma companies penned 37 alliances; 13 start-ups were acquired across all industries.