Led by Zymeworks, six Canadian clinical-stage biotech companies, four from BC and two from Ontario, are posed to raise over US $800 million or over CDN $1 billion in public financings in the last three months.
Pending – US $440.7 million + over-allotment options
Zymeworks Inc. (NYSE/TSX: ZYME) – US $279.0 million
Zymeworks is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of next-generation multifunctional biotherapeutics. Zymeworks’ lead clinical candidate, ZW25, is a novel Azymetric™ bispecific antibody currently in Phase 2 clinical development. Zymeworks’ second clinical candidate, ZW49, is a bispecific antibody-drug conjugate currently in Phase 1 clinical development and combines the unique design and antibody framework of ZW25 with Zymeworks’ proprietary ZymeLink™ cytotoxic payload.
Trillium Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ/TSX: TRIL) – US $101.7 million
Trillium is an immuno-oncology company developing innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer. The company’s two clinical programs, TTI-621 and TTI-622, target CD47, a “do not eat” signal that cancer cells frequently use to evade the immune system.
Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: XENE) – US $60.0 million
Xenon Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to developing innovative therapeutics to improve the lives of patients with neurological disorders.
Closed – US $368.9 million or CDN $486.4 million
December 2019 – Aptose Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ: APTO, TSX: APS) – US $74.2 million
Aptose Biosciences is a clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to developing personalized therapies addressing unmet medical needs in oncology, with an initial focus on hematology.
December 2019 – Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: AUPH; TSX: AUP) – US $191.7 million
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals is a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapies to treat targeted patient populations that are impacted by serious diseases with a high unmet medical need. The company is currently developing an investigational drug, for the treatment of lupus nephritis, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and dry eye syndrome.
November 2019 – Sierra Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRRA) – US $103.0 million
Sierra Oncology is a late-stage drug development company focused on the development and commercialization of momelotinib, a JAK1, JAK2 & ACVR1 inhibitor with a potentially differentiated therapeutic profile for the treatment of myelofibrosis.