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.

In a relatively light news flow for the group last month, the gainers and decliners in the BioWorld Neurological Diseases index canceled themselves out during August, with the result that the price-weighted index closed relatively flat and, despite briefly moving into positive territory in July, its value is down 4% for the year.

Biopharma money raised to-date and by quarter in 2020, including public, private and other financings.

As 2020 approaches its last quarter, scientists around the globe continue their all-consuming efforts to find effective therapeutics and vaccines to fight the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, which currently has a 3.35% fatality rate and has been plaguing the world for more than half a year. While the fight rages on, people are growing weary of political posturing and community debates. They face a serious conundrum of how to best protect those vulnerable to the virus, while still considering the psychological and economic impacts of societal lockdowns.