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Autoimmune disease biotech Kyverna Therapeutics ups deal size by 49% ahead of $297 million IPO

February 6, 2024
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Kyverna Therapeutics, a Phase 2-ready biotech developing cell therapies for autoimmune diseases, raised the proposed deal size for its upcoming IPO on Tuesday.

The Emeryville, CA-based company now plans to raise $297 million by offering 14.5 million shares at a price range of $20 to $21. The company had previously filed to offer 11.1 million shares at a range of $17 to $19. At the midpoint of the revised range, Kyverna Therapeutics will raise 49% more in proceeds than previously anticipated.

Kyverna Therapeutics is focused on developing cell therapies for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases. Its lead program is KYV-101, an autologous CD19 CAR T-cell therapy made from an underlying chimeric antigen receptor licensed from the National Institutes of Health that previously completed a Phase 1 trial in oncology. Kyverna is developing KYV-101 across two broad areas of autoimmune disease: rheumatology and neurology. Its initial rheumatology development focus is on lupus nephritis (LN) and systemic sclerosis (SSc). The company plans to conduct two trials of KYV-101 in patients with LN, and has also received IND clearance for a Phase 1/2 study in SSc. In neurology, Kyverna is focused on myasthenia gravis (MG) and multiple sclerosis (MS), and it has received IND clearance for Phase 2 studies in both diseases.

Kyverna Therapeutics was founded in 2018 and plans to list on the Nasdaq under the symbol KYTX. J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Leerink Partners, and Wells Fargo Securities are the joint bookrunners on the deal. It is expected to price during the week of February 5, 2024.