Private Company Edition: Regeneron launched a $500m venture fund and Canaan added $100m, bringing the venture firm’s recent total to $1bn-plus. Also, incubators plan to grow over the next decade and in recent financings Avenzo raised $150m and Nvelop launched with $100m.

Backed with $500m to look into the mechanistic underpinnings of unmet medical needs, Arena BioWorks will employ a hub-and-spoke model to incubate biotechs around a central technology hub.

The recent ASH meeting began with US FDA approvals of the first genetic medicines for sickle cell disease, but doctors and biopharma companies still see a need for new oral therapies and other options. 

Plus deals involving Kelun Biotech, Pierre Fabre/Vertical, Novo Nordisk/Broad Institute, ABL Bio/Synaffix, Kriya/Tramontane, Palisade/Giiant and more.