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.

The top 10 biggest share price winners and losers in Q1 from Evaluate show the investor frenzy for obesity drugs continues, while companies with governance doubts see shareholders retreat.

Still a clinical-stage company, Viking is studying promising candidates for both obesity and MASH in Phase II, but may need to prioritize one while partnering the other.

France has long been a European leader in rare diseases, from its scientific research and academic hospitals, through to patient advocacy and regulatory reforms that have encouraged R&D. Its biotech and pharmaceutical industries are now leading the way, discovering the next generation of therapies for patients that are often overlooked.