GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Verily Life Sciences will invest up to £540 million ($702 million) over the next seven years in Galvani Bioelectronics, a new joint venture dedicated to breaching the next frontier in neuromodulation technologies. (Also see "New GSK-Verily JV Aims For Smart, 'Grain Of Rice' Neuromod Tech" - Medtech Insight, 2 August, 2016.) [See Deal] GSK, which will hold a 55% stake in the company, will contribute its drug development expertise, understanding of disease biology and know-how in getting clinical proof and evidence. Verily brings to the table its expertise in miniaturization technology, device development, as well as data analytics, machine learning and software development. Galvani's mission is to explore multiple areas within inflammatory, metabolic and endocrine disorders, including type 2 diabetes, where Verily already has existing product development collaborations with DexCom Inc. and Sanofi.
Ten-year old Tioma Therapeutics Inc., which is developing immunotherapies for solid and blood cancers, raised $86 million in a...