Finance Watch

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.

Restructuring Edition: Third Harmonic cut its workforce by half based on positive Phase I data for THB335. Also, encouraged by early Phase IIa results in alopecia areata, Q32 Bio is focusing on bempikibart. In addition, X4, Turnstone, Fractyl, Cargo and others recently revealed layoffs.

Public Company Edition: A three-per-month IPO pace would top the 25 first-time biopharma offerings in 2024. Also, Akero grossed $402.5m and 89bio raised $250m in follow-on offerings that cashed in on Akero’s Phase IIb MASH readout. Immunovant raised $450m in a private placement.

Private Company Edition: Given the number of start-ups with clinical-stage assets and investors’ concerns that programs are appropriately funded, the trend toward $100m-plus VC rounds is likely to continue. Also, Lilly and a16z launched a new VC fund with up to $500m.

Private Company Edition: Biopharma firms revealed new VC funding to highlight progress ahead of the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, including Aviceda’s $207.5m series C round, Tenvie’s $200m launch, a $115m series B for Aspect Biosystems and a €90m ($93.4m) series A for Orbis.

Public Company Edition: Drug developers usually lead up to the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference by announcing new financings and partnerships, but multiple companies revealed strategic shifts and layoffs ahead of the industry’s annual kickoff meeting.

Restructuring Edition: Vincerx strategic review ends with a merger, Viracta halts last clinical trial and assesses options, and Achilles completed a strategic review by selling assets to AstraZeneca. Also, Synaptogenix explores opportunities, while GenSight warns its cash is running out.

Private Company Edition: Ottimo raised $140m-plus in series A venture capital and Angitia garnered $120m in series C cash in the latest mega-rounds, while Noema and Borealis extended prior financings. Also, VC investors XGEN and Dimension raised $690m across two new funds.

Public Company Edition: Revolution Medicines grossed $862.5m and NewAmsterdam raised $479m in follow-on public offerings, continuing this year’s rise in FOPOs. Janux, CG Oncology, Rocket, ImmunityBio, Protara and Candel also recently raised significant follow-on cash.