September 23, 2024
The biotech industry witnessed a rare tripleheader day on September 13 as three pioneering companies – Bicara Therapeutics, Zenas BioPharma, and MBX Biosciences – successfully completed their initial public offerings (IPOs), collectively raising an impressive $750 million. This achievement is particularly noteworthy, as it occurred within just 12 months of each company securing their respective Series C financing rounds. It underscores the rapid pace of their development and the market's appetite for cutting-edge therapeutics.
Bicara Therapeutics: Pioneering Cancer Therapy
Leading the charge was Bicara Therapeutics, a cancer biotech company that secured an impressive $362 million in the third-largest IPO of the year. The company's IPO was upsized twice, resulting in the sale of 17.5 million shares of BCAX stock at $18 apiece, positioning the offering at the high end of the marketed range it set a week prior.
Bicara is developing a first-in-class bifunctional EGFR/TGF-β antibody, known as BCA101 or ficerafusp alfa, for the treatment of solid tumor cancers. BCA101 is currently in Phase 1/1b trials for solid tumors, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, both as a monotherapy and in combination with Merck's Keytruda.
Notably, Bicara plans to initiate a Phase 2/3 clinical trial evaluating BCA101 as a first-line therapy in combination with Keytruda, further advancing the development of this treatment option for patients with solid tumors.
Zenas BioPharma: Tackling Autoimmune Diseases
Following closely on Bicara's heels, Zenas BioPharma, a developer of B cell-mediated autoimmune disease treatments, raised $225 million in its IPO.
Zenas' lead product, obexelimab, is a bifunctional monoclonal antibody targeting B cells. Obexelimab is currently in Phase 3 clinical trials for IgG4-RD and in multiple Phase 2 studies for indications such as multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus, and warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
Additionally, Zenas holds rights to promising drug candidates from Viridian Therapeutics' VRDN-001 and Dianthus Therapeutics' DNTH103, further diversifying its pipeline and expanding its potential therapeutic reach.
MBX Biosciences: Advancing Endocrine and Metabolic Therapies
Completing the biotech IPO trifecta, MBX Biosciences raised $163 million to support its work in endocrine and metabolic disorders. MBX specializes in precision endocrine peptides (PEPs). The company's lead candidate, MBX 2109, is a long-acting parathyroid hormone replacement therapy currently undergoing Phase 2 testing as a once-weekly injection for hypoparathyroidism. Additionally, MBX 2109 is in a Phase 1 trial to evaluate its safety and pharmacokinetics in adults with varying levels of renal function and impairment.
Beyond MBX 2109, MBX Biosciences also has an early-stage drug candidate, MBX 1416, in development for post-bariatric hypoglycemia, further expanding the company's potential to address unmet medical needs in the endocrine and metabolic disease space.
A Resurgence of Innovation and Investment
Despite the challenging capital markets in many segments of the industry, Bicara Therapeutics, Zenas BioPharma, and MBX Biosciences have demonstrated that with the right level of traction, data, and innovative potential, firms can still receive a warm market welcome.
