Aardvark Therapeutics’ drug candidates are designed to reduce hunger, but the company worked up enough of an appetite among investors to support the company’s initial public offering – the fifth biopharmaceutical IPO in the US in 2025. Cravings subsided after the offering, however, with Aardvark’s $16 share price from the IPO falling in the two days after the offering to close at $13.30 on 14 February.
Finance Watch: Investors’ Appetite For Aardvark Wanes After $94.2m IPO
GH Research, Oculis Price Follow-On Offerings
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.

More from Finance Watch
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.
More from Scrip
Pharma executives and investors are waiting with bated breath to find out if President Trump will include drugs in a new round of tariffs to be announced on 2 April.
After failing a Phase II monotherapy study in early Parkinson’s, Cerevance will focus on adjunctive therapy without abandoning the monotherapy concept.
The firm has lofty ambitions for the aldosterone synthase inhibitor to treat hypertension and kidney disease.