Cost increases initially spurred by supply chain disruptions by COVID-19 pandemic have been noted by businesses across consumer product industries since soon after novel coronavirus spread accelerated in early 2020.  More recently, OTC drug, nutritional supplement and personal care product providers began noting inflation’s influence on costs.

Public Company Edition: Mergers with special purpose acquisition corporations also continue to take companies public, with three new SPAC offerings in late 2021. Also, Xeris raised $30m in a private placement of stock to support its recently approved drug and Sirnaomics went public in Hong Kong.

Public Company Edition: Genenta, Cingulate, ImmixBio, Bionomics and NeuroSense launched initial public offerings, grossing just $118m between them. But Amylyx, with a recently filed ALS drug, has filed to raise up to $100m. In follow-on offerings, Legend took advantage of ASH goodwill to raise $300m. 

SK Biopharmaceuticals vice-president Haein Shin talks to Scrip about the company’s long journey to developing and launching novel innovative CNS drugs in global markets and what is behind its achievement, which is seen as unprecedented in the South Korean pharma industry.