Three Chinese biopharmaceuticals have filed for IPOs on the Hong Kong exchange in July alone, highlighting a potential “newfound positivity” to strengthen the HKEX IPO market in the second half of 2024.
Renalys Pharma Inc. completed a ¥6 billion (US$38.199 million) series A round that will enable it to complete a phase III trial for sparsentan for immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) in Japan. Tokyo-based Renalys in-licensed rights to sparsentan in January 2024 from Travere Therapeutics Inc. to develop the compound in Japan and 13 Asian countries to treat IgAN, a rare kidney disease.
AI-driven clinical trial design company Opyl Ltd. formed a partnership with L39 Capital Pty Ltd. to establish a $100 million biotech fund that will showcase the predictive power of Opyl’s Trialkey software in selecting successful biotech and pharmaceutical stocks. Melbourne, Australia-based Opyl leverages AI to elevate clinical trial design and forecast outcomes, empowering clinical researchers, biopharma companies and investors to enhance trial design, drug development and market delivery.
Altos Biologics Inc., founded as an eye disease-focused subsidiary of Alteogen Inc. in 2020, raised ₩24.5 billion (US$17.7 million) in a series B financing round to advance its pipeline of therapeutics for eye-related conditions, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Daejeon, South Korea-based Alteogen said July 9 that the funds raised will be funneled to develop OP-01, Altos’ candidate therapy for AMD.
Biopharma financings reached $70.09 billion in the first half of 2024, a 129% increase from the $30.57 billion raised in the first half of 2023. At more than $70 billion, this year's financings are already approaching the full-year total of $70.97 billion for 2023. June saw $7.57 billion in total financings, a decrease from $9.15 billion in May.
Radiopharm Theranostics Ltd. announced a AU$70 million (US$46.69 million) institutional placement, and as part of that capital raise, radiopharma company Lantheus Holdings, Inc., has agreed to make an initial equity investment of AU$7.5 million.
Suzhou, China-headquartered Ascentage Pharma Group Corp. Ltd. has filed plans for a confidential IPO to the U.S. SEC for a potential dual listing on both the U.S. and Hong Kong stock exchanges. News of the U.S. IPO came just a few days after Ascentage drew a $75 million equity investment from Osaka, Japan-headquartered Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. with the issuance of about 24.3 million shares at a purchase price of HK$24.09 (US$3.08) per share.
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