Looking to develop the first drug therapy for FA, Larimar gets US FDA hold due to deaths in non-human primate study. This alters clinical development timelines and fundraising plans for the firm.

Derived from Strategic Transactions, Informa’s premium source for tracking life sciences deal activity, the Venture Funding Deals column provides a comprehensive monthly review of emerging biopharmaceutical companies that have received venture funding. This month’s column covers deals announced in January and February 2017.

This month's roundup also records a second tie-up between Florida State and Spotlight Innovations, while Taiwan's Lin Biosciences licenses global rights to a CDC7 kinase inhibitor from Columbia and Memorial Sloan Kettering.

Scientists are now recognizing that many kinds of cancers are able to build their own blood-supply systems even in the presence of anti-angiogenic drugs including antibodies and tailored chemicals. While no one can say for sure just what enables "angiogenic escape" and "vascular mimicry" by cancers, researchers are pursuing clues - and some companies are working to develop new drugs based on their findings. For its part, Carolina BioPharm believes that the small peptide it currently has in Phase IIa trials will prove to be a better angiogenesis inhibitor than Avastin and its ilk, because it inhibits not only VEGF but also placental growth factor (PlGF).