
The joint lead book-runners for the offering are Credit Suisse Securities, Jefferies and BMO Capital Markets. Oppenheimer is acting as co-manager. The underwriters have a 30-day option on an additional 750,000 shares at the IPO price. The company expects net proceeds of around $67.5 million and plans to use the proceeds to expand sales and marketing of its NexoBrid product in Europe, a Phase III trial in the United States and a pediatric trial in the European Union.
Shares were trading at $17.06, up nearly 22% from the IPO price.
Akebia Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: AKBA) offered 5.9 million shares in its Thursday IPO at $17 a share, the high end of the stock’s expected price range. Among other therapeutics, the biopharma company is developing a once-daily oral therapy for patients with kidney disease.
Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse and UBS Investment Bank are acting as joint book-running managers, and Nomura is acting as a co-manager for the offering. The underwriters have a 30-day option on an additional 880,000 shares. The venture capital arm of Novartis A.G. (NYSE: NVS) owns nearly 24% of the company.
Akebia added 1 million shares to its original plan to offer 4.9 million shares, and boosted the underwriters’ option by about 130,000 additional shares. Net proceeds from the IPO total around $77 million, with about $60 million targeted at continued development of its kidney disease treatment, including $10 million for a Phase II clinical trial.
Shares are trading at $23.30, up 37% from the IPO price.