> European biotechs raised $2.3 billion in the first half of the year, BioWorld reports. That puts fundraising in 2017 well ahead of last year at the halfway point but some way short of the bumper 2015. Public markets drove the bounce back. Private equity funding fell year on year. BioWorld
> GlaxoSmithKline selected the third target in its collaboration with Immunocore. The collaborators are going after cancer targets that cannot be hit by antibody-based drugs. Statement
> ProQR picked up orphan drug designations for QRX-411 on both sides of the Atlantic. The EMA and FDA designations cover the use of the drug in the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa. Release
> eTheRNA Immunotherapies moved its mRNA based cancer immunotherapy into the clinic. The phase 1b trial is assessing the candidate in patients who have had metastatic melanoma removed surgically. Statement
> Galapagos and Gilead started another clinical trial of filgotinib. The phase 2 study is testing the JAK1 inhibitor in patients with noninfectious uveitis. Release