As biopharma deal values continue to rise above recent years, a growing percentage of the funds are coming through partnerships with companies headquartered in Asia and nearby countries. The $48.5 billion reported so far in 2020, for deals in which at least one party is based in either Asia, Australia or New Zealand, represents 37% of the global deal value.

Raising more money in the first three quarters of 2020 than in each of the last three full years, the med-tech industry is mirroring that of the biopharma industry, showing an unprecedented amount of financing during what is arguably the most economically disruptive pandemic in a lifetime.

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are making a comeback. After a relatively slow start with Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin, Seattle Genetics Inc.) and Kadcyla (ado-trastuzumab emtansine, Roche Holding AG) approved by the FDA in 2011 and 2013, respectively, the regulatory activity has swelled with four FDA approvals over the last nine months.

The BioWorld Artificial Intelligence price-weighted index, which includes biopharmaceutical companies, medical devices and health care services companies, has climbed in value and is currently up almost 37% year-to-date.

The volume of clinical data reported throughout the summer has continued to fall, with only 267 items collected in August, a drop of 10% from July and the lowest amount within the last five months.