Private Company Edition: Fewer biotech companies raised venture capital in the second quarter, but the amount of capital raised was on par with the first quarter. Also, former BMS R&D exec Rupert Vessey joined Flagship Pioneering, two new VC funds emerged and Septerna raised a $150m series B round.

The rival firms are advancing separate biologic candidates that target IL-17 in a bid to treat the more than 60% of hidradenitis suppurativa patients who remain uncontrolled on AbbVie’s Humira, with recent trial readouts showing promise.

Alere Medical and its now-defunct subsidiary Arriva Medical will pay the US government $160m to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act. It’s the second settlement that Alere has entered into with the Department of Justice in recent weeks.

The FDA has cleared the novel interleukin-17 blocker izokibep (ABY-035) to proceed to Phase II clinical development in non-infectious intermediate, posterior and pan-uveitis.