Pfizer Ventures-backed cancer drug developer BioAtla's shares popped on its first day of trading yesterday following a $189m initial public offering.

BioAtla, a US-based oncology therapy backed by for pharmaceutical firm Pfizer, went public yesterday in a $189m initial public offering on the Nasdaq Global Market.

The company increased the number of shares in the offering from 9.4 million to 10.5 million and priced them at $18.00 each, above the IPO’s $15 to $17 range. Its shares opened at $30.55 on their first day of trading and closed at $31.02, valuing it at $996m.

Founded in 2007, BioAtla is developing…

Robert Lavine

Robert Lavine is special features editor for Global Venturing.