Apnimed is going to conduct one more Phase II study in sleep apnea, mainly to assess subjective endpoint questionnaires, and then hopes to launch a Phase III program by autumn of 2022.

Only 25 more initial public offerings are needed for 2021 to beat 2020’s record-breaking 86 IPOs. However, the average return for this year’s offerings is just 1.1% as of 1 July versus 11% at the end of the first quarter.

Public Company Edition: Almost halfway through the year, initial public offerings equal nearly three-quarters of the 2020 total. Also, Pardes is one of four new SPAC mergers; HUTCHMED launched an IPO in Hong Kong; and Zentalis, Theravance and BioXcel launched follow-on offerings.

Private Company Edition: Nine new venture capital mega-rounds include Insilico’s series C, $250m from Blackstone for a CAR-T therapy spinout from Intellia and a $210m series B round for Umoja.