Big First-Day Pop for Global Blood Therapeutics IPO

Photo of Paul Ausick
By Paul Ausick Updated Published
This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.

biotech
Thinkstock
A biopharmaceutical company working on developing and commercializing treatments for serious blood-based disorders priced its initial public offering (IPO) above the expected range Tuesday and has doubled that higher price since beginning trading Wednesday morning. Global Blood Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: GBT) priced 6 million shares at $20 per share, above the expected range of $16 to $18, raising gross proceeds of $120 million.

Shares traded as high as $43.48 in early afternoon trading after opening at $34.65, more than 70% higher than the already beefy IPO price. Joint bookrunners for the offering are Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs. Co-managers are Cowen and Wedbush PacGrow. The underwriters have a 30-day option on an additional 900,000 shares.

The company had raised about $100 million in funding prior to its IPO. Third Rock Ventures held 50.2% of the company and Fidelity held 10.5%. Other investors included Deerfield Capital Management, Sabby Capital Management and Wellington Management.

The company’s first product candidate is a prophylactic treatment for sickle cell disease, and Global Blood Therapeutics plans to use about $65 million to complete development and trials of its sickle cell disease treatment and another $15 million or so to begin trials of an oral treatment for hereditary angioedema. The remaining proceeds to fund new and ongoing research and development activities, working capital and other general corporate purposes, which may include funding for the hiring of additional personnel, capital expenditures and the costs of operating as a public company.

Shares traded at around $42.45 in the mid-afternoon, in an IPO range of $33.06 to $43.48.

ALSO READ: 6 Analyst Stock Picks Called to Rise 50% to 100%

Photo of Paul Ausick
About the Author Paul Ausick →

Paul Ausick has been writing for a673b.bigscoots-temp.com for more than a decade. He has written extensively on investing in the energy, defense, and technology sectors. In a previous life, he wrote technical documentation and managed a marketing communications group in Silicon Valley.

He has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Chicago and now lives in Montana, where he fishes for trout in the summer and stays inside during the winter.

Continue Reading

Top Gaining Stocks

CBOE Vol: 1,568,143
PSKY Vol: 12,285,993
STX Vol: 7,378,346
ORCL Vol: 26,317,675
DDOG Vol: 6,247,779

Top Losing Stocks

LKQ
LKQ Vol: 4,367,433
CLX Vol: 13,260,523
SYK Vol: 4,519,455
MHK Vol: 1,859,865
AMGN Vol: 3,818,618