Avanos Medical Inc. has agreed to be acquired by affiliates of American Industrial Partners (AIP)  in an all-cash deal valuing the company at approximately $1.272 billion. Under the terms of the definitive agreement, Avanos stockholders will receive $25 per share in cash for each share of common stock they hold.

Realta Life Sciences Inc. raised an additional $40 million in the final tranche of its series A investment, bringing the total the company has raised to more than $150 million through mission-driven investors and a family-office model.

Oricell Therapeutics Holdings Ltd closed a $110 million pre-IPO round to expand its global footprint and advance its lead candidate, a GPC3-targeted autologous CAR T therapy for liver cancer to registrational trials.

Total biopharma financings reached $22.82 billion in the first quarter (Q1) 2026, rising about 74% from $13.12 billion in Q1 2025 but declining 31% from $33.16 billion in Q4 2025. The strong start places 2026 well above the subdued levels seen from 2022 through 2025, though is still below the highs of $38.35 billion in Q1 2021 and $47.25 billion in Q1 2024. Overall, the data indicate a meaningful rebound in financing activity to begin 2026, following a more uneven 2025.

Armed with a fully subscribed $80 million series D round, Life Biosciences Inc. is making progress with its lead candidate, ER-100, which is in phase I trials testing its theory on reversing the biological effects of aging via partial epigenetic reprogramming.