Tricky drug development challenges have held back the NLRP3 inhibitor field for decades but Ventus and its many rivals believe the class can deliver on its huge potential, from Parkinson’s disease to NASH and arthritis.

Private Company Edition: After just seven venture capital rounds of $100m or more in January and February, five have been announced already in March, including a $200m series A round for Cargo Therapeutics, Chroma Medicine’s $135m series B financing and $112m for Noema’s series B.

Having acquired Jecure Therapeutics and its preclinical portfolio of NLRP3 inhibitors just under two years ago, the Swiss giant has swooped in to buy Dublin-based Inflazome and expand its presence in a hot field of inflammatory research.