Tencent, Nikon, Amgen and Illumina all scored exits as the DNA sequencing provider's shares popped in the wake of its flotation.

Oxford Nanopore, the UK-based DNA sequencing technology developer backed by corporate investors Nikon, Tencent, Amgen and Illumina, went public yesterday in a $478m initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange.

The company issued 82.4 million shares priced at £4.25 ($5.81) each, securing a valuation of $4.7bn, while shareholders including commercialisation firm IP Group offloaded $238m worth of stock.

Software producer Oracle had already committed to being a cornerstone investor for the IPO, putting aside $205m last week. Oxford Nanopore’s…

Thierry Heles

Thierry Heles is editor-at-large of Global University Venturing and Global Corporate Venturing, and host of the Beyond the Breakthrough podcast.