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Finance Watch: Will Biotech Stock Rebound Keep IPOs Coming?

Rain Therapeutics, Impel NeuroPharma Go Public As Valuations Rise

 
• By Mandy Jackson

Public Company Edition: The Nasdaq Biotechnology Index appears to be in recovery from an earlier slide, but still has ground to make up. Also, Jazz sold $1.5bn worth of notes and Zai Lab closed an $823.9m follow-on offering.

Finance Watch

Two drug developers went public – Rain Therapeutics Inc. and Impel NeuroPharma, Inc. – late on 22 April, closing out a week that ended with the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index (NBI) in positive territory. A rising NBI was not so remarkable in 2020 when a record number of biopharmaceutical companies launched initial public offerings, but in 2021 the index has fallen substantially from its February peak.

To date, the performance of the NBI and other closely watched barometers of biotech stock valuations, such as the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB), have not slowed down IPOs

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Finance Watch: Funding Alternatives Become The Norm In Tough Public Markets

 
• By Mandy Jackson

Public Company Edition: With fewer follow-on offerings, drug developers are pursuing other options. Axsome accessed up to $570m in debt, Evolus obtained $250m in a new credit facility and Abeona raised $155m from a PRV sale, but Apimeds was able to execute a small $13.5m IPO.

Finance Watch: Deerfield Closes $600m-Plus VC Fund; Gates Speeds Up Health Investments

 
• By Mandy Jackson

Private Company Edition: Deerfield’s third innovations fund will back therapeutics and other opportunities, the Gates Foundation – a sometimes funder of biotech firms – will spend $200bn over the next 20 years, and NewLimit raised a $130m series B round, among other financings.

Finance Watch: Unity Lays Off All Employees As It Evaluates Alternatives

 
• By Mandy Jackson

Restructuring Edition: Unity unveiled more Phase IIb data for lead asset UBX1325 along with plans to shed its workforce while seeking a partner for it and other drugs. Also, Ono is consolidating US employees at one site, Entrada is cutting its workforce by 20% and other recent strategic shifts.

Finance Watch: Biohaven Gains Up To $600m In Fresh Capital

 
• By Mandy Jackson

Public Company Edition: Biohaven secured $250m up front from Oberland Capital to support its future US troriluzole launch after pulling its EU filing. Also, Procaps arranged $130m in private equity and Rezolute grossed $96.9m in a rare follow-on offering, among other financings.

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HAYA Raises $65m To Take First Long Non-Coding RNA Program Into The Clinic

 
• By Mandy Jackson

HTX-001 targeting the long non-coding RNA known as Wisper is being developed for non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. HAYA partnered with Lilly last year in obesity.

Sanofi R&D Head’s Words Of Wisdom For Biotechs

 
• By Kevin Grogan

Houman Ashrafian tells delegates at Swiss Biotech Day that ‘literally only two things matter in our industry – target credentialing and differentiated pharmacology. The rest is execution.’

Switzerland Biopharma To Stay Strong Despite More Cash Going To US And China

 
• By Kevin Grogan

The sector is continuing to show resilience despite financial and market challenges.