Sanofi and Translate Bio, which hope to advance their mRNA vaccine candidate into a first-in-human clinical trial in the fourth quarter of 2020, have significantly extended their collaboration in that field, with the French giant plonking down a whopping $425m upfront fee.

Gilead licensees Hetero and Cipla introduce remdesivir, the antiviral seen as a potential treatment for COVID-19, in India. Pricing plans will be closely watched and supplies in the country are expected to stabilize soon, possibly turning to a surplus situation in several months.

Roche is pressing ahead with partnering deals in India as part of efforts to expand access to certain key existing brands and signals intent to continue to explore more collaborations wherever it needs to “reach out to more patients urgently.”