Two oral therapeutics specialists bag a combined $140M via IPO, VC funding

Although fancy technology is a big draw in drug delivery, the simple pill holds allure, at least as a replacement for dreaded needles or cumbersome intravenous infusions. Chiasma sold 1 million more shares than it originally planned en route to an IPO that raised $102 million. The developer of oral drugs to treat orphan diseases that are being treated by injectables sold 6.4 million shares for $16, above the expected price range. And Protagonist Therapeutics, the developer of an oral peptide drug aimed at irritable bowel disease, just completed a $40 million VC round, which included life science investment firms and strategic players J&J Innovation and Lilly Ventures. More about Chiasma's IPO | More about Protagonist Therapeutics from FierceBiotech