South Korean firm AriBio is planning to expand global Phase III trials for its oral Alzheimer’s disease candidate following an IND approval at home. Patient enrolment in a US trial began late last year.

Private Company Edition: In other venture capital mega-rounds, Aurion brought in $120m, Sionna launched with $111m and Irish firm Renexxion said a private equity group committed up to $100m in total investment to be made within 36 months of a future public listing. 

Experts say there should be enough Alzheimer’s patients willing to enroll in Biogen/Eisai’s US FDA-required Phase IV trial and other companies’ late-stage studies even with Aduhelm broadly available. 

With 46 initial public offerings in the US by drug developers so far – including recent launches by Kymera, Inhibrx and Harmony – 2020 will easily beat last year’s 50 IPOs. In follow-on offerings and VC deals, newly public Schrodinger raised $346.5m and Tango’s $50m equity financing.