Finance Watch

Private Company Edition: Six biopharma companies raised venture capital rounds totaling $100m or more in May, matching the number of mega-rounds in April and March. Among other recent financings, Syndeio launched with $90m and SpyGlass raised a $75m series D round.

Public Company Edition: Biomedtracker’s first quarter 2025 financing report shows follow-on offerings, IPOs and PIPEs fell sharply from Q1 of 2024. In recent transactions, Teva sold $2.3bn worth of notes, Regenxbio executed a royalty deal for up to $250m and Aura’s FOPO grossed $75m.

Private Company Edition: SV Health Investors revealed the final closing of its second Dementia Discovery Fund. Also, Eikon cut nearly 15% of its staff, Pathos AI raised $365m in series D venture capital and CellCentric completed a $120m series C round, among other financings.

Restructuring Edition: Prime Medicine ended its sole clinical-stage program to prioritize preclinical and partnered programs, cutting 25% of its workforce to extend its cash runway. Meanwhile, earnings season brought workforce reductions at Kyverna, Allogene, Leap and others.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Restructuring Edition: ESSA and Elevation are reviewing strategic alternatives after trial failures, but each has an investor urging them to liquidate. Also, Third Harmonic and Vincerx are winding down, while Keros and Tempest are assessing options, but Opthea and OPM are cutting jobs.

Private Company Edition: After Q1 venture capital investment slumped relative to 2024 totals due to declines in both smaller financings and mega-rounds, Q2 started off with six $100m-plus financings in the first half of April after there were only three in February and six in all off March.

Public Company Edition: Stock valuations are falling due to political, economic and regulatory uncertainty, resulting in fewer large public offerings, more alternative financings and cost cuts. Carisma, Tenaya, BioAtla, Arbutus, Nkarta, Alector and Adaptimmune announced layoffs.

Private Company Edition: The latest group of drug developers to announce venture capital financings is remarkable for its geographic diversity, from Character Biosciences’ $93m series B round in the US to Augustine’s $85m series B in Belgium to a $29.2m series C for Aculys in Japan.

Public Company Edition: Cargo suspended development and cut 90% of its workforce to focus on strategic alternatives, while Pyxis and Kiromic laid off or furloughed employees. Also, Pfizer sold its remaining Haleon shares for $3.3bn, Galderma sold $1bn in bonds and other financings.

Private Company Edition: There have been five $100m-plus VC rounds so far this month, up from three in all of February. Flagship unveiled Lila Sciences with $200m, while Curevo and Insilico raised $110m in series B and E rounds, respectively. Also, Arbor Biotech garnered $73.9m.

Restructuring Edition: Biopharma companies used fourth-quarter updates to reveal job and program cuts to conserve cash, including Sutro, Agenus, Coherus, Inozyme and Atea. Also, Vincerx’s reverse merger was terminated and Vaccinex, Oncternal, Syros plan to voluntarily delist.

Biomedtracker’s fourth quarter data show a surge in public and private financings in 2024, but the two biggest categories – VC funding and follow-on offerings – have slowed in 2025. Also, Garuda raised a $50m series A-1 round, while Nuvation accessed $250m in royalty and debt financing.

Private Company Edition: $100m-plus venture capital mega-rounds drove biopharma company fundraising closer to record-breaking levels in 2024, but the pace of big VC deals has slowed aside from Callio’s $187m series A, Eikon’s $350.7m series D and Enveda’s series C extension to $150m.

Public Company Edition: BridgeBio Oncology Therapeutics will merger with a SPAC and raise $450m. Also, BridgeBio Pharma priced $500m in notes and Solid grossed $200m in a follow-on offering, while Idorsia restructured debt and a deal after a planned transaction fizzled out.

Public Company Edition: Aardvark Therapeutics’ US IPO – the fifth of 2025 – will fund a Phase III trial in Prader-Willi syndrome and other studies. Also, Sarepta closed on a $600m revolving credit facility and Biogen entered into a funding agreement with Royalty Pharma for up to $250m.

Private Company Edition: Abcuro’s series C venture capital round will fund its lead drug through pivotal results, filing with the US FDA and launch preparations. Also, AdvanCell completed a $112m series C round, Lutris Pharma raised $30m and Imvax closed a $29m financing.