Biofourmis Inc. scooped up $100 million in a series C round that was led by Softbank Vision Fund 2. The funds are earmarked to accelerate U.S. and global expansion of Biofourmis’ artificial intelligence (AI)-powered health analytics platform and to advance its pipeline of digital therapeutics. The company focuses software-based therapeutics and AI tools for personal predictive care and has U.S. FDA-cleared products that aim to boost clinicians’ ability to remotely monitor and treat patients.

HONG KONG – Xuanzhu (Shijiazhuang) Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Beijing-based Sihuan Pharmaceutical Holdings Group Ltd.’s innovative drug R&D platform, has secured ¥800 million (US$117.2 million) in series A funding from the State Development and Investment Corp. (SDIC).

PERTH, Australia – Australia’s biopharma sector fared better than the country at large at the end of the financial year that ended June 30, as the country saw GDP fall 7% in the final quarter, the largest drop since 1959.

Ever since the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) overhauled its listing rules to welcome pre-revenue biotech companies in April 2018, Hong Kong has become the largest biotech fundraising hub in Asia, and the second largest in the world after Nasdaq, HKEX executives said Tuesday at the bourse’s biotech summit. The biotech IPO pipeline continues to grow and pre-revenue companies are more accepted into the city’s financial system.

Athira Pharma Inc.’s proposed $100 million IPO, along with a filing by Virios Therapeutics LLC to raise $35 million on Aug. 28, helped propel a supercharged amount of investment in 2020 that shows no sign of slowing. The pace is unusually swift this year despite hindrances from COVID-19. The total value of IPOs so far in 2020 is $12.95 billion, with 54 completed, easily outpacing 2019’s $8.64 billion.