Jiangsu Recbio Technology Co. Ltd. raised HK$765 million ($97.7 million) in a Hong Kong stock exchange IPO on March 31. Shares of the vaccine maker (HKEX: 2179) opened at HK$25 per share and rose 1.8% to close at HK25.25 apiece. The Jiangsu, China-based company plans to use about half the proceeds, or HK$317.9 million, to support development and commercialization of its HPV vaccines, including its lead asset, a phase III recombinant HPV 9-valent vaccine REC-603, a spokesperson told BioWorld. The company also plans to set up an HPV manufacturing facility in Taizhou, China.
Neuron23 Inc. came out of stealth mode in late 2020 with a $113.5 million combined series A and B round to support its AI-enabled drug discovery effort aimed at bringing a precision medicine approach to neuroimmunology. Now it has added another $100 million in a series C financing as it gears up to move into clinical testing with lead programs targeting LRRK2 and TYK2.
AN2 Therapeutics Inc., a company developing a once-daily treatment for people with chronic non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease, raised $69 million in an upsized IPO. The offering of 4.6 million shares (NASDAQ:ANTX), initially priced at $15 each, met a modest market reception, with shares rising to $15.40 by market close on March 25. The Menlo Park, Calif.-based company is developing epetraborole, a boron-containing small-molecule inhibitor of bacterial leucyl-tRNA synthetase, in-licensed from Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc., now part of Pfizer Inc.
Shouyao Holdings Co. Ltd. raised ¥1.48 billion ($233 million) in a listing on the Shanghai STAR Market to support the company’s ongoing clinical programs, led by a second-generation anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitor. Company shares (SHA:688197) debuted at ¥39.90, then fell 19.5% to close at ¥32.11 on March 23.
Fungal biosphere specialist Lifemine Therapeutics Inc. has struck a goldmine through a $175 million series C financing and an R&D collaboration allowing Glaxosmithkline plc (GSK) to use the company's platform to identify small-molecule leads.