Quietly but unambiguously, pharma firms are accelerating their diversification away from China and are now looking to other emerging markets for growth, a strategy that reflects increasing pressures from China's volume-based procurement scheme but also US-China tensions and other geopolitical risks.

Seven novel agents approved in March include one accelerated approval, two rare pediatric disease priority review vouchers, two breakthrough therapy designations and one regenerative medicine advance therapy designation.

Crowded calendar could bring to an end the slow start for novel approvals in 2024, as decisions come due for Lilly’s donanemab, Merck’s sotatercept, Regeneron’s odronextamab and more.

Private Company Edition: With its lead program in the clinic, Frontier’s $80m series C round will fund trials for additional programs. Also, ORI raises $260m for second fund, Earlybird closed a €173m ($187.1m) fund, Areteia’s series A grew to $425m and Sudo’s series B increased to $147m.