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(Reuters) – Shares of Fractyl Health fell 8.3% on their market debut on Friday, giving the obesity and diabetes drug developer a market capitalization of $654.6 million.
After a two-year lull, initial public offerings in the U.S. are expected to rebound in 2024 on firming bets of a soft landing for the world’s largest economy. Investor reception to fresh stocks, however, has been uneven.
Healthcare companies CG Oncology and KKR-backed BrightSpring Health Services made contrasting market debuts on last week.
Fractyl, backed by investment company Mithril Capital and venture capital firm General Catalyst, debuted at $13.75 per share on the Nasdaq, below its offer price of $15 apiece. It sold 7.3 million shares in its offering and raised $110 million.
The Lexington, Massachusetts-based company develops “disease-modifying” therapies that target organ-level root causes to treat metabolic diseases such as type-2 diabetes and obesity.
The weight-loss drugs market is anticipated to reach $100 billion by the end of the decade.
Revita, a drug Fractyl is developing for type-2 diabetes, is at an enrollment stage.
Its other therapy, Rejuva PGTx, at a preclinical stage, has shown improvement in glycemic control, delayed diabetes progression, and weight reduction compared to semaglutide, an active ingredient in Novo Nordisk (CSE:)’s Ozempic and Wegovy.
BofA Securities, Morgan Stanley (NYSE:) and Evercore ISI were the underwriters of the offering.
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