Microport Neurotech Ltd.’s shares started at HK$24.7 (US$3.15) per share, fell 0.162% and closed at HK$24.60 apiece on its first day of trading of July 15, 2022.
Rainmed Medical Ltd. raised HK$146 million (US$19 million) in an initial public offering in Hong Kong. Its shares debuted at HK$5.60 and dropped as much as 15.38% to close at HK$5.28 on July 8, 2022, the first trading day. Jiangsu, China-based Rainmed Medical plans to use 80% of the proceeds to support the development and commercialization of its core products – a coronary angiography-derived fractional flow reserve (caFFR) system and a coronary angiography-derived index of microvascular resistance (caIMR) system.
European biotechnology firms engaged in the discovery and development of therapeutics raised up to $2.15 billion in disclosed equity transactions during the second quarter, a drop of 36% on the same period of 2021. The closure of the IPO window was a major factor in the decline, but the completion of two sizeable special purpose acquisition company deals made up some of the shortfall. Listed firms raised slightly more in Q2 2022 than they did in the same period last year. Venture capital, although the single biggest source of equity funding during the quarter, was also down on the same period last year.
A tightening of rules for biotech listings on the Shanghai STAR Market may have contributed to a visible cool-down in biotech IPOs, with fewer listings in Chinese stock markets in the first half of 2022.
Mega Genomics Ltd. raised HK$153.4 million (US$20 million) in an initial public offering on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. Its shares jumped 16.7% in the middle of the first trading day on June 22 and closed at HK$18 a share. Beijing-based Mega Genomics plans to allocate 30% of the proceeds to the sales, marketing, and commercialization of its consumer genetic testing and cancer screening services and products.
A tightening of rules for biotech listings on the Shanghai STAR Market may have contributed to a visible cool-down in biotech IPOs, with fewer listings in Chinese stock markets in the first half of 2022.
Shanghai Microport Medbot (Group) Co. Ltd. plans to list on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on the Sci-Tech Board to raise ¥2.8 billion (US$420 million) to progress its surgical robots. The funds raised from the IPO would go toward research and development of the surgical robots, manufacturing, marketing and academic promotion, as well as replenishing working capital. The company also plans shareholder dividend distribution plans within three years following the IPO listing.
After listing on the Nasdaq market on May 18, Hong Kong-based diagnostics and genetic testing company Prenetics Group Ltd. saw its shares fall nearly 30% in early trading, dropping from $8.40 per share on listing to $5.70 by the end of trading May 19. Trading under the ticker PRE, Prenetics formed a merger with Artisan Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, which was founded by entrepreneur Adrian Cheng. The transaction values Prenetics at an enterprise value of $1.25 billion, making the company the first Hong Kong unicorn to list on the Nasdaq.
The music still goes on for biotech investment – it’s just not as loud and vibrant as it was during the heady days of 2020 and 2021, according to experts at this year’s LSX World Congress in London. After the rush to invest in biotech during the last two years, it has become an uphill battle to raise money – but the message from several panel experts at the event is that there is still hope.
IPOs continue to be sluggish but two companies, Pepgen Inc. and Bausch & Lomb Corp., that began trading May 6 managed to sidestep the turbulence despite having to lower their expectations before the market opened.
RSS
