Robust financial markets continue to fuel the industry despite gloom over the COVID-19 pandemic, with Relay Therapeutics Inc. pricing its upsized, 20 million-share IPO at $20 per unit to reap $400 million.

BEIJING – Beijing-based Immunotech Biopharm Ltd. made a strong debut as the first pre-revenue cellular immunotherapy firm to trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX), raising $142 million via its IPO. Trading under the ticker 6978, the company’s share price closed at HK$15.48 (US$2) on July 10, up 40.7% from its offer price at HK$11.

Two California companies – Nkarta Inc. and Poseida Therapeutics Inc. – scored impressive IPOs but with decidedly different post-pricing performance, as Wall Street showed its enthusiasm for the former’s natural killer (NK) cell research by pushing shares (NASDAQ:NKTX) up 166%, to close July 10 at $47.90, an increase of $29.90.

HONG KONG – SK Biopharmaceuticals Co Ltd.’s shares are still basking in the afterglow of a successful entrance on the Korea Exchange, which raised ?959.30 billion (US$799 million).

HONG KONG - Ocumension Therapeutics Ltd., a China-based ophthalmic pharmaceutical company, launched its IPO on the Hong Kong Exchange (HKEX) this week. The company seeks to raise more than HK$1.5 billion (US$190 million).

BEIJING – Beijing-based cellular immunotherapy firm Immunotech Biopharm Ltd. said June 28 that it intends to raise up to HK$1.1 billion (US$141.9 million) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) on July 10, with shares priced between HK$10.5 and HK$11 apiece.

A pair of upsized IPOs packed away cash by way of identical terms, with Boston-based Akouos Inc. and Fusion Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Hamilton, Ontario, separately selling 12.5 million shares at $17 each for $212.5 million in gross proceeds.

Against a backdrop of general economic uncertainty bolstered in part by a strong biopharma market, two IPOs launched June 19 and ended their first trading day well above their high-end asking prices. Repare Therapeutics Inc., which identifies synthetic lethal precision oncology targets for drug candidates, and Forma Therapeutics Holdings Inc., which is developing therapeutics to treat rare hematologic diseases and cancers, launched IPOs with an anticipated combined value of $497.6 million in gross proceeds.

Although the general markets have bounced around in June and the BioWorld Biopharmaceutical index has dipped almost 5% in the period, the uncertain capital environment has not affected investor appetite for biopharma IPOs.

In a big day of setting up IPOs for launch, the charge is being led by Royalty Pharma, a buyer of biopharmaceutical royalties and an industry funder, which is aiming at a $2 billion offering. That massive number is more than half of the total biotech offerings brought in through May.