Novartis Venture Funds, the corporate venturing division of Switzerland-based Novartis ranked first by Global Corporate Venturing last month, has been an important investor in Intellikine and Infinity, which have struck a licensing agreement.

Largest series A round in France for five years sets up Merck Serono spin out Poxel for diabetes drug development.

IPierian joins Adimab as second public minority investment by search group's corporate venturing division.

Venture capital and corporate venturing units stump up $40m for Calistoga Pharmaceuticals' series C round.

Eli Lilly's corporate venturing division part of CGI consortium selling the company for $120m, twice the venture money invested.

Eight venture investors commit another $20m to Nereus a decade after its first round to take the total raised so far to nearly $150m.

CMEA Capital and Kaiser Permanente Ventures join $30m funding for Baxano

Incline therapeutics acquires Ionsys assets to tempt Cadence into minority shareholding and option deal worth up to $290m.

Investors including MedImmune Ventures, push through merger of biotech portfolio companies to form Corridor Pharmaceuticals.

Aquinox Pharmaceuticals brings in second corporate venturing unit to bolster its $25m series B round.