Ireland’s life sciences and health tech companies raised a record-breaking €491.3 million ($572.9 million) in venture capital funding across 89 deals in 2024, according to a report from Enterprise Ireland. The investment underscores investor confidence in the country’s ecosystem, which looks set to continue despite global headwinds such as trade tariffs, economic uncertainty and rising operating costs.
Bao Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., a developer of subcutaneous biologic drugs, priced its IPO at HK$26.38 on Dec. 2, aiming to raise about HK$1 billion (US$128 million). Bao expects net proceeds of HK$921.5 million after expenses, which will fund its “two-anti” strategy – developing both antibody and antibiotic drugs worldwide, mainly in China, the U.S. and Europe.
Protego Biopharma Inc. closed an oversubscribed $130 million series B financing that will be used to advance PROT-001, the company’s treatment for amyloid light (AL) chain amyloidosis. a plasma cell disorder where the cells produce abnormal, misfolded immunoglobulin light chain proteins.
The European Investment Bank and Angelini Ventures have partnered to invest €150 million (US$174 million) in health care companies across Europe. The funding will target seven to 10 companies in biotech, med-tech and digital health in an effort to boost financing in the European health care ecosystem and support the development of innovative solutions across the continent.