In this week's podcast episode of Five Must-Know Things, hear about issues surrounding the proposed IP waiver for coronavirus vaccines, a trial delay for Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine, an ICER review of multiple myeloma drugs and Galapagos’ efforts to refocus its R&D pipeline.

Private Company Edition: Perceptive/Xontogeny, Abingworth, Kizoo and Droia closed venture capital funds. New biopharma VC financings also include a $105m series C round for Elpiscience and $92m for newly launched Interline. 

Originated by a Suzhou-based biotech founded two years ago and now being jointly developed with WalVax, China’s first homegrown mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is now entering the final stages of development.

The strategy for both funds is to back companies with a preclinical drug candidate that can be advanced through clinical proof-of-concept with a mid-sized series A round.