Out of 922 biopharma financings so far in 2020, nearly a quarter of them – 211 – were done by companies working on a COVID-19 therapeutic or vaccine. More strikingly, however, the $27.8 billion raised by those pandemic-focused firms represents about 40% of the $71.8 billion total collected through the end of July. That amount is the highest BioWorld has ever tracked.

Startup Conformal Medical Inc. has reeled in $85 million in a series C round to support a U.S. pivotal trial of its CLAAS technology, a device designed to seal off the heart’s left atrial appendage (LAA) to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. The financing included participation from new investors Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC and an undisclosed strategic investor.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, Acutus Medical Inc. (NASDAQ:AFIB) decided to go down the IPO route. It officially started trading today after reporting its offering of more than 8.8 million shares of its common stock at $18 per share, with expected gross proceeds of $158.8 million. Last month, the Carlsbad, Calif.-based company estimated that the IPO price per share would be between $16 and $18.

Improving metabolic disorders without major changes in diet and exercise is typically seen as impossible, unless bariatric surgery is involved. But that’s precisely what Fractyl Laboratories Inc. aims to do. It plans to start a pivotal trial of its duodenal mucosal resurfacing system, Revita DMR, before year end.

A promising but side effect-ridden phase III study by Novartis AG with oral imatinib in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) led Boston-based Aerovate Therapeutics Inc. to start exploring two years ago an aerosol form of the kinase inhibitor, and the project has won backing to the tune of $72.6 million in series A money.

LONDON – A breakthrough technology for generating fully human T-cell receptors (TCR) is set to deliver next-generation T-cell therapies for treating solid tumors, following the €66 million (US$78.3 million) series A funding of T-knife GmbH.

HONG KONG – Venture capital investment into most sectors in China has generally plunged throughout the COVID-19 pandemic but biotechnology has been a noticeable exception.