Biopharma financings totaled $16.78 billion in the first two months of 2026, about an 81% year-over-year rise from $9.28 billion in January to February 2025. While still below the outsized $33.29 billion recorded in the same period of 2024, and $24.37 billion in 2021, the early 2026 total significantly outpaces the more subdued levels seen in 2022 ($7.48 billion) and 2023 ($7.66 billion).
Another two biopharma companies priced IPOs on Nasdaq to raise a combined $350 million, becoming the fourth and fifth firms to debut on U.S. markets in 2026.
Growth factor specialist Agomab Therapeutics NV is now preparing to move into phase IIb development after delivering positive phase IIa results for its lead program, ontunisertib, an orally available treatment for fibrostenosing Crohn’s disease.
Acute liver failure (ALF) occurs when an acute injury to the liver is not compensated by the liver’s endogenous regenerative capacity, resulting in impaired liver function. Accelerating the liver’s regenerative capacity by activating the MET-hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signaling pathway was the aim of this research. AGMB-101, developed by Agomab Therapeutics NV, is an agonist antibody targeting MET that was tested in two murine models of ALF.
Agomab Therapeutics NV raised $40.5 million in a series B extension led by Pfizer Inc., which has also come on board as an adviser on the development of AGMB-129, Agomab’s candidate therapy for fibrostenotic Crohn’s disease. The new cash raises the series B total to $114 million.
DUBLIN – After a COVID-19-fueled funding bonanza, European biotechnology appears to have reverted to the mean in the second half of this year. Firms engaged in drug development raised a total of $1.886 billion in disclosed transactions during the third quarter (Q3) of 2021. That represents a 44% fall on the total raised in Q2, which was itself down 46% on the Q1 total. The sector has raised a total of $11.44 billion so far this year, meaning that last year’s highwater mark of $12.682 billion is still within reach – but only just. The funding momentum appears to have stalled for now.
DUBLIN – Agomab Therapeutics NV raised $74 million in a series B round that attracted two heavyweight U.S. crossover investors, Redmile Group, which led the financing, and Cormorant Asset Management.