SEOUL – After a decade of steady increases, venture capital (VC) investments in South Korea's biotech sector are more active. But for the country's strategic financial plan to be sustainable, it will have to further strengthen its science capabilities, according to experts at the Korea Bio Investment Conference (KBIC) last week in Seoul.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has helped the med-tech industry in numerous ways. From genomics, to screening, to diagnostics, AI has made things easier for clinicians.

And that has caught the eye of investors. According to Mercom Capital Group LLC, as a whole, digital health venture capital funding in the second quarter 2019 jumped from the previous quarter ($3.1 billion raised in 169 deals vs. $2 billion raised in 149 deals).

Rakuten Medical Inc., the developer of a precision photoimmunotherapy platform targeting head and neck cancer, has raised about $100 million in a series C-1 preferred stock financing from Rakuten Inc., a global internet services company headquartered in Japan that now owns 22.5% of the company. 

HONG KONG – Chengdu-based Hinova Pharmaceuticals Inc., of China's Sichuan province, closed a series B financing that added $40 million to the company's pocket. The proceeds will go to the global phase III study for lead asset HC-1119 for prostate cancer.

LONDON – Quanta Dialysis Technologies Ltd. has raised £38 million (US$46.7 million) in the first close of a series C round, to fund a U.S. FDA 510(k) submission and U.K. commercial launch of its SC+ home hemodialysis system. With the cash now in hand, both these events are due to occur before the end of 2019. "We've got a lot of work to do," said John Milad, CEO of Quanta. "This is the rocket fuel."

PERTH, Australia – Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd. raised AU$40 million as it prepares regulatory packages and commercial strategies in Europe, the U.S. and Australia.

Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc., of Ottawa, Ontario, said it intends to complete a non-brokered private placement offering, where some of the corporation's directors, officers, consultants and employees, as well of certain of their associates, will purchase an aggregate of 870,000 units at CA0.30 each for aggregate gross proceeds of CA$261,000 (US$197,750). 

Foamix Pharmaceuticals Ltd., an Israeli specialty pharma developing foam-based formulations of minocycline for moderate-to-severe acne and rosacea, has secured up to $64 million in financing from Perceptive Advisors and Orbimed, its two largest shareholders. The funds, comprised of loans and proceeds of a registered direct offering, are expected to support potential commercial launches for FMX-101 and FMX-103, pending FDA approval, the company said.

Ziopharm Oncology Inc., of Boston, said it entered into an agreement with existing investors for the exercise of previously issued warrants to purchase common stock in a private placement, being led by existing stockholder, MSD Partners LP, that is expected to result in gross proceeds of approximately $45 million. 

PERTH, Australia – Following positive results across three different oncology clinical trial programs with its lead candidate, Veyonda, Sydney-based Noxopharm Pty Ltd. has secured a AU$26 million (US$18 million) funding facility from U.S. investors leading up to a proposed Nasdaq listing.