If not for the coronavirus and a highly contested U.S. presidential election, 2020 might just be the year of the biopharma financing. With 1,320 transactions tallied and the amount raised hitting $115.77 billion, the year represents the highest volume and value for the industry to date.

HONG KONG – Pangyo, South Korea-based SK Biopharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. has agreed to collaborate with New York-based Lifesci Venture Partners to invest in private health care companies developing novel therapies and innovative technologies.

PERTH, Australia – Opthea Ltd. completed a $128.2 million IPO on the U.S. Nasdaq market, which will fund two phase III trials in wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and bring the company’s lead candidate, OPT-302, to market if successful.

Gracell Biotechnologies Inc. has closed a $100 million series C financing round to advance its CAR T-cell therapy candidates, including autologous product candidate, GC-012F, and allogeneic product candidate, GC-027. Both candidates are in investigator-initiated phase I trials in China.