Finance Watch

Merck’s immuno-oncology blockbuster was the world’s best-selling drugs by revenues for the second year in a row, with an almost $12bn lead over its closest rival, Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 drug Ozempic.

Private Company Edition: ARCH raised more than $3bn for its eighth fund, Frazier added $630m to its public fund that also can back crossover rounds, DCVC’s third biotech fund totaled $400m and Asabys raised €180m ($200m) for its second fund. Also, Aktis closed a $175m series B round.

BridgeBio spun out oncology assets in May to focus on rare diseases and now it has sliced off a few rare disease candidates for GondolaBio. Also, Avidity and Kymera closed follow-on offerings that grossed $345.1m and $225m, respectively, and Vandria extended its series A round to $30.7m.

Restructuring Edition: Lykos recruited a J&J veteran to help its slimmed-down staff resubmit its MDMA-based PTSD therapy. Also, Lexicon cut its field force by 50%, or 75 jobs; Viracta cut its solid tumor program and 23% of its workforce; and Boundless Bio streamlined with moderate job cuts.

Public Company Edition: Actuate Therapeutics grossed $22.4m in its first-time offering, while already-public companies recently tapped a variety of sources for funding. Arrowhead negotiated a credit facility for up to $500m and ANI sold $275m worth of notes, among other financings.

Private Company Edition: Symbiotic Capital emerged with a $600m-plus fund to provide credit for private and public companies, while venBio raised a $528m fund. Also, Outpace Bio raised $144m, Jade Biosciences launched with $80m and MBX Biosciences raised $63.5m.

Public Company Edition: OS Therapies launched this year’s smallest initial public offering, to fund its lead program in osteosarcoma. Also, Australian firm Telix, after opting out of a US IPO, grossed A$650m ($425.5m) from investors at home. Day One raised $175m in a private placement.

Restructuring Edition: Vir will end influenza, COVID-19 and T-cell-based viral vector platform programs to focus on clinical hepatitis and cancer assets. Also, FibroGen cut 75% of its workforce after a clinical trial failure, while Arbutus, HilleVax, Pfizer and others also announced layoffs.

Private Company Edition: Venture capital investment has moved into a slower summer pace, or maybe just shifted to small- and medium-sized biopharma financings. In addition to Third Arc’s $165m series A round, Brenig raised a $65m series A and Confo’s series B totaled €60m ($65m).

Restructuring Edition: Financial market conditions are improving, but gains have not stopped some companies from cutting costs or shutting down. MEI may wind down if it does not identify another strategic alternative and Aslan has begun to liquidate, while others have cut jobs.

Private Company Edition: After its acquisition by an investor earlier this year, NGM Bio has raised a $122m series A round, adding to a recent surge in large venture capital financings. Also, Vanqua Bio disclosed $45m in new funding and Renalys completed a $38.4m series A.

Public Company Edition: The IPO market in the US cooled in Q2, but a warm-up may come in Q3 alongside new SPAC merger opportunities; Artiva may be the next biopharma firm to go public. Also, IDEAYA and Recursion grossed $302.4m and $200m, respectively, in follow-on offerings.

Private Company Edition: June ended with Formation Bio’s $372m series D round and July began with Beacon’s $170m series B. Also, Curie.Bio raised a $380m fund, Freeflow Ventures emerged with $90m across multiple funds and EvolutionaryScale raised a $142m seed round.

Public Company Edition: Alumis grosses $250m after it planned to raise up to $317.7m in its IPO. Also, Zealand adds $1bn in a post-data offering, Tectonic and Eliem close $130.7m and $120m private placements to support recent mergers, and Ginkgo cuts 35% of its workforce.

Public Company Edition: Alumis grosses $250m after it planned to raise up to $317.7m in its IPO. Also, Zealand adds $1bn in a post-data offering, Tectonic and Eliem close $130.7m and $120m private placements to support recent mergers, and Ginkgo cuts 35% of its workforce.

Private Company Edition: J.P. Morgan raised more than $500m in its first venture fund and the Africa Health Security Investment Plan gained $2bn. Also, Marea launched with $190m, Iambic’s series B expanded to $150m, InduPro raised an $85m series A and Elion closed an $81m series B.

Public Company Edition: Several special purpose acquisition corporations have emerged, including various health care- and life science-focused SPACs. Also, Alvotech entered into a $965m refinancing agreement and Avidity grossed $461m in a follow-on offering, among other updates.

Private Company Edition: Scrip spoke with the leaders of Gateway Labs and Cure at the BIO International Convention about their mini ecosystems. Also, radiopharmaceutical firm ITM raised €188m ($201.9m), Santa Ana Bio emerged with $168m and Alzheon’s series E totaled $100m.

Public Company Edition: Insmed grossed $650m, Structure raised $476m and Merus brought in $400.2m after positive clinical trial results. But while CARGO raised $110m in a private placement and Day One sold a priority review voucher for $108m, Ikena, Takeda and others cut jobs.

Private Company Edition: Amplitude Ventures raised $192m for its second fund, while XGEN Venture debuted with €160m ($173.4m). Also, hub-and-spoke biopharma operator CinRx added $73m, Adcendo extended its series A round to €98m ($106.2m) and Grey Wolf raised $50m.