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Restructuring

Sweden’s Alligator Makes Cuts To Avoid Extinction

The company’s CD40 agonist mitazalimab has impressed in Phase II trials as a potential treatment for pancreatic cancer but with no partner in place yet and a lack of funds, Alligator has to cut 70% of its staff to keep going.

Finance Watch: CEO Bischofberger Exits As Kronos Cuts 83% Of Workforce

Restructuring Edition: Kronos is laying off most of its employees as it considers strategic options, including a potential sale of its assets. Also, Agenus is restructuring and other companies revealed job cuts in Q3 earnings reports, including Sensei, AN2, NextCure and Aurinia.

Lexicon Cuts Commercial Operation, Focuses On R&D After FDA Letdown

With a US FDA determination that sotagliflozin cannot be approved for type 1 diabetes at this time, Lexicon is shutting down its commercial organization to focus on its R&D pipeline.

Sage’s Pipeline Prospects Narrow Further As Dalzanemdor Fails In Huntington’s

Sage will end development for dalzanemdor after it failed in a Phase II Huntington’s disease trial, leaving the company with one commercial drug and three early-stage assets.

Finance Watch: Syndax Raises $350m, KalVista Gets $100m In Royalty Deals

Public Company Edition: Syndax received all $350m from its royalty financing up front, while KalVista got $100m initially out of up to $179m. Also, Vera, EyePoint and Eledon grossed $300m, $161m and $85m in follow-on offerings, while Neurogene raised $200m in a private placement.

Sage Prioritizes Zurzuvae For PPD, Ends MDD Effort, Drops Zulresso

As Sage prioritizes Zurzuvae for postpartum depression after recent setbacks, it will stop selling Zulresso for PPD and no longer pursue Zurzuvae in major depressive disorder.

Finance Watch: Septerna Raises $288m In Public Market Debut

Public Company Edition: In addition to Septerna’s initial public offering, a new life science-focused SPAC went public. Also, Inventiva raised up to €348m ($376.2m), Akeso revealed a $250m private placement and Marinus is exploring strategic alternatives after a Phase III trial failure.

Finance Watch: 2024 Has Now Beaten 2023’s Total Of 21 IPOs

Public Company Edition: Upstream grossed $255m and CAMP4 raised $75m in October’s first initial public offerings. In follow-on offerings, Crinetics and Scholar Rock brought in $500m and $300m, respectively. Also, Turnstone cut 60% of its workforce and Gritstone filed for bankruptcy.

Finance Watch: Biopharma IPO Queue Grows As Market Conditions Improve

Public Company Edition: Septerna, Apimeds, CAMP4 and Upstream filed paperwork with the SEC aiming to take advantage of renewed investor interest in IPOs. Also, Biohaven closed a $287.5m offering and Grifols subsidiary GigaGen obtained up to $135m from BARDA.

Shattuck Shifts Gears After Lackluster CD47-Targeting Bispecific Results

The biotech is cutting jobs and discontinuing development of its anti-CD47 bispecific for blood cancers and moving its focus to SL-325, which targets the TL1A-DR3 axis in autoimmune diseases.