MBX Biosciences shares surge 44% in blockbuster Nasdaq debut
Adds background in paragraphs 6-10, Zenas BioPharma debut in paragraph 11
Sept 13 (Reuters) -Shares of MBX Biosciences MBX.O, which is developing therapies that target endocrine and metabolic disorders, including diabetes and obesity, jumped nearly 44% in their Nasdaq debut on Friday.
The upbeat debut underscores investors' growing focus on weight-loss drugs after proving to be an effective obesity treatment and showing potential to reduce stroke or heart attack risks.
The stock opened at $23 apiece, valuing the biotech firm at about $694 million.
MBX said on Thursday it had raised $163.2 million by selling 10.2 million shares at $16 apiece — the high-end of its targeted range of $14 to $16 each — in its initial public offering.
The U.S. IPO market is on a route to recovery, albeit uneven, after a two-year dry spell, on hopes of a possible rate cut by the Federal Reserve and lower market volatility.
MBX's success fares well for the IPO market that went into a traditional summer lull following the debut of cold storage real estate investment trust Lineage LINE.O in July, the biggest this year.
MBX's lead experimental candidate, MBX 2109, is being developed to treat chronic hypoparathyroidism — a condition in which the body produces insufficient levels of parathyroid hormone that disrupts calcium levels in the blood and bones.
The company is also developing MBX 4291, an experimental therapy for the treatment of obesity. The therapy mimics the effect of two gut hormones, GLP-1 and GIP.
Eli Lilly's LLY.N tirzepatide, sold as Zepbound for weight loss and Mounjaro for diabetes in the United States, also mimics the function of these two gut hormones.
Wall Street estimates annual global sales of $150 billion for weight-loss drugs by the early 2030s.
Separately, Bristol-Myers Squibb-backed Zenas BioPharma also debuted on the Nasdaq, with its shares rising nearly 8%.
Reporting by Jaiveer Singh Shekhawat in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
