The sprint of fighting COVID-19 has been in respiratory medicine. For patients who become acutely ill, the short-term danger is in respiratory failure. But increasingly, it seems like the pandemic’s marathon fight may come to be against the neurological symptoms of COVID-19.

Antios Therapeutics Inc. followed up its $96 million series B financing in April with another $75 million series B-1 round that reflects faith in the potential of lead candidate ATI-2173, bound for phase IIb investigation as the backbone of a once-daily, curative regimen in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. has acquired a 73% stake of Antejin Biotech Co. Ltd. in a merger and acquisition deal worth up to ¥4.006 billion (US$626.2 million) to expand its pipeline in the field of bacterial vaccines. To kick off, Shanghai-based Fosun purchased about 32.52% equity interest in Antejin from nine shareholders for about ¥1.108 billion in cash.