UK-based Ochre Bio has signed its first major deal with Boehringer Ingelheim. Scrip talked to its co-founder and CEO, Jack O’Meara, about its human tissue-based drug discovery platform, its resulting RNA platform for liver disease and how the fledgling drug company's early work mirrored that seen in diagnostics.

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.

In this mixed Chinese- and English-language episode, guest speaker Treehill Partners co-founder Ali Pashadezah joins Brian Yang and Dexter Yan to discuss updates on the proposed BIOSECURE Act in the US Congress and US-China biotech movements. Also discussed is how Chinese biotechs are becoming acquisition targets for overseas biotech companies, including the recent purchases of Profound by Genmab and AnHeart Theraputics by Nuvantion.

After the financing draught suffered by Korean bioventures in 2023, it now seems the VC market is poised for a recovery as investors shift attention again to the healthcare sector, with a spotlight on AI-based solutions and device firms.