Bright days are ahead for China’s biopharmaceutical sector, which is getting a reset from the efforts to tackle COVID-19 through innovation and advancements. “I'm consciously optimistic about the fact that cross-border deals will continue,” Stella Xu, managing director, Quan Capital, from Shanghai, China said during a panel discussion at the Chinabio Partnering Forum.
Triumvira Immunologics Inc., a U.S.-Canadian immuno-oncology startup, has raised $55 million in series A financing to back a pipeline of four new T-cell therapy candidates for the potential treatment of both liquid and solid tumors. Bayer AG's Leaps unit and Northpond Ventures led the round. China-based Oceanpine Capital and Viva Biotech Holdings also provided funds.
Annexon Biosciences Inc.’s handsome $250 million IPO this summer verified the mounting interest in its two front-running C1q inhibitors: ANX-005, which has turned up promising phase Ib data in Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), with a phase II/III effort planned for next year, and ANX-007, due to enter a phase II experiment in geographic atrophy (GA) during 2021 as well.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has brought disruptions to R&D, market activities in the biopharmaceutical sector have remained active during the first half of this year in China. Venture capital investments, IPOs and partnering activity showed upward trends, except for M&A activity, which has declined for two years.
Kinnate Biopharma Inc., a San Diego-based company focused on the discovery and development of small-molecule kinase inhibitors for genomically defined cancers, has raised $98 million in a series C financing.
Kymera Therapeutics Inc. debuted on NASDAQ Friday by pricing its upsized IPO of 8.68 million common shares at $20 each as it eyes gross proceeds of $173.3 million. By the end of the day, Kymera stock (NASDAQ:KYMR) had soared 66.3%, with shares closing at $33.26 each.