Wing Yip Food (WYHG) : 2-month performance

Zhengye Biotechnology (ZYBT) began trading on the Nasdaq on Tue 7Jan 25

Zhengye Biotechnology Holding Ltd. engages in the manufacture and sale of veterinary vaccines. It offers a range of vaccines, including vaccines for swine, cattle, goats, sheep, poultry, and dogs.

• Founded: 2004
• HQ: Jilin City, China
• Website: jlzybio.com
• Employees: 278

Smithfield Foods (SFD) began trading on the Nasdaq on Tue 28 Jan 25

Smithfield Foods, Inc. manufactures and markets packaged meats and fresh pork in the United States and internationally.

Smithfield Foods, Inc. is a subsidiary of SFDS UK Holdings Limited.

Parent organization: WH Group, a Chinese multinational food and meat processing company that is the world's largest pork producer. The company is headquartered in Hong Kong and is publicly traded. 

world’s largest pork producer; China still owns 90% (?)

2013: Then known as Shuanghui Group, WH Group purchased Smithfield Foods in 2013 for $4.72 billion. It was the largest Chinese acquisition of an American company to date.

• Sector: Consumer Defensive
• Industry: Farm Products
• Full Time Employees: 37,417
• Founded in 1936 
• HQ in Smithfield, Virginia
• https://www.smithfieldfoods.com

Ticker: SFD

Smithfield Foods priced 26,086,958 share IPO at $20.00 per share, below the $23-27 expected range

 

 

Smithfield Foods' global headquarters is on the banks of the Pagan River; Smithfield, Virginia

 

 3-week performance

Akero Therapeutics (AKRO) : drug shows it reverses scarring in liver disease patients

• The experimental drug efruxifermin showed it can help patients with a type of liver disease to reverse scarring of the organ without worsening the condition in a keenly awaited mid-stage trial.
• This drug is being studied in patients with severe scarring or cirrhosis due to a type of fatty liver disease known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).

• Ticker: AKRO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Akero Therapeutics reports preliminary topline results showing statistically significant reversal of compensated cirrhosis due to MASH-by both completer and ITT analyses-at Week 96 in phase 2b symmetry study 

• Co released preliminary topline week 96 results from SYMMETRY, a Phase 2b study evaluating the efficacy and safety of its lead product candidate efruxifermin (EFX) in patients with biopsy-confirmed compensated cirrhosis (F4), Child-Pugh Class A, due to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Among patients with baseline and week 96 biopsies, 39% of patients treated with 50mg EFX experienced reversal of cirrhosis with no worsening of MASH, compared to 15% for placebo. In the Intent to Treat (ITT) population, with all missing week 96 biopsies treated as failures, 29% of patients in the 50mg EFX group experienced reversal of cirrhosis with no worsening of MASH, compared to approximately 12% in the placebo group.
• With more than a doubling of effect size from weeks 36 to 96 in the 50mg group (from 10% to 24%), the SYMMETRY study underscores the benefit of longer EFX treatment for patients with compensated cirrhosis (F4).
• In a subgroup of patients with baseline and week 96 biopsies who were not taking GLP-1 at baseline, 45% in the 50mg EFX group experienced reversal of cirrhosis with no worsening of MASH compared to 17% for placebo, suggesting that the observed reversal of cirrhosis was not attributable to GLP-1 therapy.

Allakos (ALLK) : topline results from its phase 1 trial of AK006 in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria

– AK006 did not demonstrate therapeutic activity in CSU

– Allakos will discontinue further development of AK006, reduce workforce by 75% and explore strategic alternatives

 

Allakos Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company, develops therapeutics that target immunomodulatory receptors present on immune effector cells in allergy, inflammatory, and proliferative diseases in the United States. The company's lead product candidate is AK006, which in a Phase I clinical trial for the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) and other indications.

• Sector: Healthcare
• Industry: Biotechnology
• Full Time Employees: 131
• Incorporated in 2012 
• Headquartered in San Carlos, California
• https://www.allakos.com

IPO: July 19, 2018; Allakos priced an upsized 7.2 million shares offering at 18, above the expected range of 15 to 17. Shares closed at 31.25, up 73.6% on the first trading day.

Allakos announces topline results from its phase 1 trial of AK006 in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria and announces restructuring 

• Co announced topline results from its phase 1 clinical trial of AK006 in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU).
• "While AK006 was well tolerated, we are disappointed that the preclinical inhibitory effects observed did not translate to clinical benefit in patients with CSU. As a result, the Company has decided to discontinue further clinical development of AK006," said Chin Lee, M.D, M.P.H., Chief Medical Officer of Allakos. "We express our gratitude to all of the patients, clinical trial investigators, and site coordinators in these trials."
• The Company ended the fourth quarter of 2024 with approximately $81 million in cash, cash equivalents, and investments (unaudited).
  
• The Company estimates that cash used in restructuring activities to closeout AK006 development, including severance and contractual payments to vendors, will be approximately $34 million to $38 million. The
• Company also estimates that a significant majority of these restructuring costs will be paid over the first and second quarters of 2025.
• The Company estimates it will have cash, cash equivalents and investments in a range of approximately $35 million to $40 million at June 30, 2025.

IPOs this week : Jan 27 - 31, 25 (wk 5)

Smithfield Foods – Smithfield, Va., 34.8 million shares, priced at $23-$27, managed by Morgan Stanley BofA. Proposed Nasdaq symbol SFD. Business: Leading US producer of meat products being spun out of China’s WH Group.

Infinity Natural Resource – Morgantown, W.Va., 13.3 million shares, priced at $18-$21, managed by Citi Raymond James. Proposed NYSE symbol INR. Business: US oil and natural gas producer operating in the Utica and Marcellus Shales.

Beta Bionics – Irvine, Calif., 7.5 million shares, priced at $14-$16, managed by BofA Piper Sandler. Proposed Nasdaq symbol BBNX. Business: Makes an automated insulin delivery system for type 1 diabetes.

FG Merger II – Itasca, Ill., 8 million shares, priced at $10, managed by ThinkEquity. Proposed Nasdaq symbol FGMCU. Business: Blank check company targeting the financial services industry in North America.

RedCloud – London, 11 million shares, priced at $4-$6, managed by Roth Cap. Clear Street. Proposed Nasdaq symbol RCT. Business: Operates a B2B platform for sellers of consumer goods in emerging markets.

HW Electro – Tokyo, 4 million shares, priced at $4, managed by AC Sunshine Sec. Univest Sec.. Proposed NYSE American symbol HWEP. Business: Japanese retailer of electric light commercial vehicles.

Cortigent – Valencia, Calif., 1.5 million shares, priced at $10, managed by ThinkEquity. Proposed NYSE American symbol CRGT. Business: Developing camera-based neural implants that restore partial vision to the blind.

iOThree – Singapore, 2.6 million shares, priced at $4-$6, managed by Eddid Securities Network 1. Proposed Nasdaq symbol IOTR. Business: Singapore-based provider of maritime connectivity and digitalization solutions.

Snail (SNAL) : 2-year performance

Snail, Inc. is an independent developer and publisher of interactive digital entertainment. The firm builds a portfolio of games designed for use on a variety of platforms, including consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. Its portfolio of games includes ARK:Survival Evolved, Last Oasis, PixARK, ATLAS, ARKII, Expedition Agartha, ARK Park, Outlaws of the Old West, Dark and Light, and ZCREW. 

Snail, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Olive Wood Global Development Limited.

• Sector: Communication Services
• Industry: Electronic Gaming & Multimedia
• Full Time Employees: 97
• Founded by Shi Hai in 2009 
• Headquartered in Culver City, California
• https://snail.com

 

 

 

Icon Energy (ICON) : 6-month performance

Icon Energy Corp. engages in the ocean transportation of dry bulk cargoes worldwide. 

Icon Energy is a subsidiary of Atlantis Holding Corp.

• Sector: Industrials
• Industry: Marine Shipping
• Incorporated in 2023 
• Based in Athens, Greece
• https://www.icon-nrg.com

IPO: July 12, 24; 1,250,000 shares at $4.00 per share.

Diginex (DGNX) began trading on the Nasdaq on Wed 22 Jan 25

Diginex Ltd. is a blockchain financial services and technology company. Its products include diginexESG, diginexLUMEN, diginexAPPRISE, diginexLUMEN Pro, and CSRD framework. 

• Sector: Industrials
• Industry: Consulting Services
• Full Time Employees: 19
• Founded by Miles Christian Pelham in 2020 
• Headquartered in Telegraph Bay, Hong Kong
• https://www.diginex.com

Ticker: DGNX

Trio Petroleum (TPET) : 18-month performance

Trio Petroleum Corp. operates as an oil and gas exploration and development company. 

• Sector: Energy
• Industry: Oil & Gas E&P
• Full Time Employees: 7
• Incorporated in 2021 
• Headquartered in Bakersfield, California
• https://trio-petroleum.com

Baird Medical (BDMD) : 3-month performance

Baird Medical Investment Holdings Limited, together with its subsidiaries develops and sells microwave ablation medical devices for minimally invasive tumor treatment in China. The company's medical devices are used for treatment of benign and malignant tumors, including thyroid nodules, liver cancer, lung cancer, and breast lumps. 

• Sector: Healthcare
• Industry: Medical Devices
• Full Time Employees: 148
• Founded in 2012 
• Headquartered in Guangzhou, China
• https://www.bairdmed.com

IPO: October 2, 2024 via a merger vith ExcelFin Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: XFIN).

Crown Electrokinetics (CRKN) : 4-year performance

Crown Electrokinetics Corp. develops and sells optical switching films in the United States. 

The company was formerly known as 3D Nanocolor Corp. and changed its name to Crown Electrokinetics Corp. in October 2017.

• Sector: Basic Materials
• Industry: Specialty Chemicals
• Full Time Employees: 42
• Incorporated in 2015 
• Based in Corvallis, Oregon
• https://www.crownek.com

Crown Electrokinetics (CRKN) went public on January 26, 2021.

 

NetClass Technology (NTCL) : 1-month performance

NetClass Technology Inc, through its subsidiaries, offers IT solutions to schools, corporations, other institutions, and corporate customers in the People's Republic of China. 

NetClass Technology Inc operates as a subsidiary of Dragonsoft Holding Limited.

• Sector: Technology
• Industry: Software - Application
• Founded: 2022
• HQ:  Shanghai, China
• Employees: 31
• Website: netclass.cn

908 Devices (MASS) : 4-year performance

908 Devices Inc., a commercial-stage technology company, provides various purpose-built handheld and desktop mass spectrometry devices to interrogate unknown and invisible materials in life sciences research, bioprocessing, pharma/biopharma, forensics, and adjacent markets.

• Sector: Healthcare
• Industry: Medical Devices
• Full Time Employees: 230
• Incorporated in 2012 
• Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts
• Website www.908devices.com

 

 

 

 

Nauticus Robotics (KITT) : 7-year performance

Nauticus Robotics, Inc. develops ocean robots, cloud software, and services to the ocean industry.

• Sector: Industrials
• Industry: Aerospace & Defense
• Full Time Employees: 72
• Founded in 2014 
• Headquartered in Webster, Texas
• https://nauticusrobotics.com

IPO July 19, 2021: Nauticus went public following its SPAC (special purpose acquisition company) merger with New York City-based CleanTech Acquisition Corp. the Company sold 15,000,000 Units at a purchase price of $10.00 per Unit.

Safe & Green Holdings (SGBX) : 7-year performance

Safe & Green Holdings Corp. designs and modifies code-engineered cargo shipping containers and purpose-built modules for commercial, industrial, and residential building construction in the United States.

• Sector: Industrials
• Industry: Metal Fabrication
• Full Time Employees: 92
• Founded in 2007 
• Headquartered in Miami, Florida
• https://www.safeandgreenholdings.com

IPO: June 22, 2017

 

 

 

 

Kairos Pharma (KAPA) : 4-month performance

Ticker: KAPA

Salarius Pharma (SLRX) Merges with AI Drug Designer Decoy Therapeutics

 

 

 

 

HOUSTON and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Salarius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SLRX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing therapies for patients with cancer in need of new treatment options, and Decoy Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held preclinical biopharmaceutical company engineering the next generation of peptide conjugate therapeutics, announce the signing of a definitive agreement under which Decoy Therapeutics will merge with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Salarius Pharmaceuticals, subject to the closing conditions set forth in the definitive agreement. The newly formed company will be named Decoy Therapeutics.

This proposed transaction is expected to facilitate multiple value-creating inflection points with Decoy’s pipeline of peptide conjugate therapeutics engineered by its IMP3ACT platform, which allows for the rapid computational design and manufacturing of innovative peptide conjugate therapeutics including rapid response to novel viral pathogens such as avian H5N1 flu. Decoy’s product pipeline targets unmet needs in respiratory infectious diseases and gastroenterology (GI) oncology indications.