Neumora Therapeutics Inc., a neuroscience startup aiming to launch precision medicines for brain diseases, said Oct. 7 it has raised more than $500 million, including a $100 million equity investment from Amgen Inc. and a series A financing led by Arch Venture Partners. The company launches with a portfolio of eight clinical, preclinical and discovery-stage programs from internal discovery efforts, the acquisitions of multiple private companies and a new license agreement with Amgen.

Intergalactic Therapeutics Inc. is aiming for the stars with a nonviral gene therapy platform, backed with $75 million in series A financing from life sciences venture capital firm Apple Tree Partners. While management are tongue in cheek about the name of the company, they are serious about their mission to produce a next generation of gene therapies that overcome the issues associated with marketed adeno-associated virus-based products.

Exscientia plc has raised $510.4 million in an upsized Nasdaq IPO and private funding round as it pushes forward with its artificial intelligence-based drug discovery mission. The Oxford, U.K.-based company aims to out-license some of its candidates to other companies, while saving others for its own pipeline.

DUBLIN – Iomx Therapeutics AG raised €65 million (US$75.4 million) in a series B round, which will enable it to move its lead immuno-oncology program into the clinic. The funding will also allow it to take a second program into IND-enabling studies and to back-fill its pipeline with additional programs.

Like an overzealous Olympic runner, impressive and strong at the start of the race but dropping the pace with each subsequent lap, biopharma financings in 2021 grabbed headlines in the early months of the year, but they have significantly slowed down since then.