The week closed out with two IPOs on their way in. Alto Neuroscience Inc. (NASDAQ:ANRO) and Fractyl Health Inc. (NASDAQ:GUTS) both debuted on Wall Street with offerings looking to raise combined $238.6 million.
Hangzhou and New Jersey-based cancer biotech Adlai Nortye Ltd. – formerly Hangzhou Nuotai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. – announced plans to list on Nasdaq with its U.S. IPO filed on July 27.
Azitra Inc. made its debut on the public market June 16, in the hopes of raising a relatively modest $7.5 million to enable it to fund clinical trials, manufacturing and R&D, as well as working capital and other general corporate purposes.
Health Guard Biotechnology Inc. raised ¥294 million (US$43 million) in an IPO on the SME-focused Beijing Stock Exchange, with the funds going to push the development of its HPV vaccines.
Boan Biotechnology Co. Ltd. raised HK$152.8 million (US$19.6 million) from a Hong Kong IPO, capital the company will use to speed up product development, expand marketing and ramp up manufacturing.
3D Medicines Inc. has raised HK$408 million (US$52.5 million) in a listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Its shares opened at HK$29 apiece, jumped by more than 20% by the middle of the day, and closed at HK$31.45 on the first trading day of Dec. 15.
Alopexx Inc. filed for an IPO that would bank as much as $17 million to continue the firm’s investigations of bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections that express the antigenic target poly N-acetyl glucosamine (PNAG).
Sirnaomics Ltd. became the first RNA therapeutics company to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) with a $64 million initial public offering. Its shares (HKEX:2277) have since surged, rising to HK$93.90 ($12.04) on Jan. 4 following their debut at HK$65.90 per share.
The market’s appetite for immunology candidates in chronic disease – in particular an oral interleukin-17 (IL-17) therapy for psoriasis – was proved by the upsized IPO pulled off by Dice Therapeutics Inc., and Tyra Biosciences Inc. benefited from the ongoing appetite in precision oncology in another, bigger-than-expected debut. Preclinical-stage Pasithea Therapeutics Inc. went public as well, albeit less spectacularly.
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd. (HKEX) has taken the first step towards allowing listings on the market via special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), also known as “blank check” companies. The move has left biotech companies wondering if the change could provide the next big opportunity to join the market after pre-revenue companies were first allowed to list there under a 2018 main board listing rule paved the path for them to do so.