Biotechs Top Money Raisers Of Overview
The biotech companies are expected to defend their ranking in the near future, due to merger and acquisition to move up and reap profits for additional sales in the new market segments. For instance, 2017 was a big year for biotech venture capital, and 2018 managed to top it. In 2016, private biotech companies raised a total of USD16.8 Bn and in 2017 it increases by 37% i.e. USD12.1 Bn. In 2018, the average per financing round increased too, as well as the proportion of enormous megarounds.
Competitive Analysis- Biotech's top 10 money raisers of 2018
- Moderna Therapeutics
- Samumed
- Relay Therapeutics
- Cerevel Therapeutics
- Allogene Therapeutics
- BioNTech
- CStone Pharmaceuticals
- Brii Biosciences
- Celularity
- Viela Bio
Moderna Therapeutics is at the top compared to overall list, owing to use of mRNA to create a new generation transformative medicines for patients. Moderna believes that its mRNA-based medicines will trigger production of proteins needed to treat a whole host of diseases, from heart failure to cancer in the near future. Moderna Therapeutics picked up USD125 Mn from Merck and expanded its partnership for its mammoth USD500 million series G. The company has also planned to use the proceeds to lay the groundwork for new pipeline prospects.
Samumed is a leader in medical research and development for tissue-level regeneration. In August 2008, Samumed has worked under the radar for most of its lifetime. In 2016, The San Diego-based biotech helped to came out of this shadow announcing that it had raised USD220 million from private investors. In August 2018, it boosted its offer with a USD438 million, giving it a runway to advance a pipeline of treatments for diseases such as osteoarthritis, psoriasis and Alzheimer’s disease. This has lead Samumed into a fortunate position to move our later stage programs to commercialization, as well as to expand earlier stage science and clinical portfolio. On May 2019, the phase 3-stage osteoarthritis program was the most advanced program of Samumed and the company expects its first approval in the next few years.
Relay Therapeutics Company is working on how proteins move and how changes in their shape and structure can affect their function. Its aim is to create new drugs that can modify these changes to treat cancer. In 2018, Relay Therapeutics ended with a biggest raise of USD400 Mn series C round to propel its mission of creating new treatments against undruggable targets. Relay plans to start clinical trials in 2019, owing to further development and scaleup of the company.
On October 2018, Cerevel Therapeutics received a USD350 Mn cash infusion from Bain Capital which is bankrolling development of three clinical-stage programs, as well as several preclinical ones. The company is working on a pair of phase 2-ready programs and is set to enter phase 3 this year. Cerevel’s launch came to life with USD103 million and four clinical-stage Pfizer programs similar to Pfizer spinoff, and SpringWorks Therapeutics.
Allogene Therapeutics is working on the next chapter of CAR-T with 17 allogeneic. The company started its life with USD300 Mn along with a hefty series A round, now the company has ultimately outraised by USD1 million in its IPO. On May 2019, the company has planned to work on advancing UCART19, as well as earlier-stage candidates targeting BCMA-another proven CAR-T antigen, and three new targets.
BioNTech’s USD270 Mn series A round came 10 years after its founding in 2008. However, the latest funding brought the company’s total close to USD1 Bn. On April 2019, BioNTech’s funding raise up to USD800 Mn in its Nasdaq IPO.
In July 2016, CStone Pharmaceuticals set up with a USD150 Mn series A round to advance a pipeline that would meet the most pressing needs of Chinese patients. In 2018, the Suzhou, China-based biotech raised another USD260 million in its B round, which will advance its clinical-stage assets, including lead program CS1001, an anti-PD-L1 antibody. In February 2018, the biotech picked up another USD266 Mn on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Brii Biosciences startup launched with USD260 Mn and had partnerships with Vir Biotechnologies, WuXi and Alibaba. Brii inked an agreement to license up with four of Vir's assets in China, and its WuXi deal covers access to WuXi AppTec and WuXi Biologics' R&D capabilities. Brii is also working with Alibaba on digital approaches to developing and delivering new drugs. Brii handed over USD11 Mn upfront in a license along with collaboration agreement covering VBI’s recombinant, protein-based immuno-therapeutic for hepatitis B, and VBI-2601.
In February 2018, Celularity revealed with USD250 Mn, 200 employees, and co-founders who happen to be alumni of Human Longevity and a multifaceted business plan. CYNK-001 is the leading program of Celularity in clinical trials for multiple myeloma and acute myeloid leukemia. Celularity expects to reel about USD40 Mn from clinical and preclinical programs for boosting young biotech.
Viela Bio came into existence when AstraZeneca contributed for clutch of programs in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In May 2019, the company announced pivotal results at the American Academy of Neurology, showing that giving two doses of inebilizuma in two-weeks reduces the risk of attacks in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients by 73%. In mid-2019, it has planned to submit a BLA for the candidates.