Hong Kong-based Ally Bridge Group took a hand in a $155 million placement in immuno-oncology biotech Tesaro ($TSRO), joining a funding round led by Kleiner Perkins along with New Enterprise Associates in equal portions.
Under the terms, an agreed purchase of 4.4 million shares at $35.19 each set in February has reaped a potential windfall with a close of $48.34 on Tuesday.
The investment in Nasdaq-listed Tesaro shows the reach of Ally Bridge, or ABG, in spotting biotechs and support firms and drawing connections between a web of deals in the space across the globe.
For example, Tesaro is developing its immuno-oncology candidates using technology in-licensed from AnaptysBio.
“Tesaro represents a compelling addition to ABG’s existing portfolio of more than a dozen oncology companies based in the United States, Europe and China,” the fund said in a release.
“This investment represents an important partnership between ABG, as a leading global healthcare investor with its roots and strong capabilities in China, and Tesaro, a leading oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company in the United States.”
In late 2014, ABG took part in a management-led buyout of WuXi PharmaTech in a $3.3 billion deal helmed by the CRO’s founder and CEO Ge Li that also included Boyu Capital, Hillhouse Capital, and Singapore’s Temasek Life Sciences.
Tesaro has in-licensed China rights to its FDA approved chemotherapy nausea treatment rolapitant, to be marketed as Varubi, to China’s Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine.
The company has six oncology drugs in clinical trials and another six in pre-clinical development.