In the highest value deal yet seen for a preclinical pipeline, GlaxoSmithKline plc swooped on Domantis Ltd, paying £230 million cash for the six-year-old UK Medical Research Council spin out.

Galapagos NV is bolstering its ability to select drug targets and compounds by acquiring Inpharmatica Ltd in an all-share transaction that values the UK bioinformatics company at €12.5 million.

The UK is setting up a national network to carry out clinical trials of paediatric medicines, filling the gap left by pharmaceutical companies which usually test drugs only on adults.

Cambridge Biostability, a developer of temperature-stable liquid vaccines, agreed a joint venture with Panacea Biotec of India.

Anglo-Dutch antibody specialist PanGenetics BV has agreed a collaboration with Lay Line Genomics SpA of Rome, Italy, in the field of therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of pain.