The newly formed pharmaceutical company, backed by investors including Novo, also raised $40m to advance its lead product through clinical trials.

Shareholder Johnson & Johnson bought stock in the molecular diagnostics technology provider as it floated in Brussels at a valuation of more than $500m.

Ligand acquired a 37% share in the biopharmaceutical company, which is set to float on Nasdaq, issuing three million shares priced at $8.00 each.

The SAP-backed IT infrastructure provider expects to float at a valuation of about $2.5bn, after raising more than $310m in venture funding.

The app development platform, backed by Accenture, Juniper Networks, Sapphire Ventures and Norwest Venture Partners, had raised more than $200m in VC funding.

The Novartis and Johnson & Johnson-backed immuno-oncology company's shares opened at almost double their initial public offering value last week.

Siemens-backed ViewRay has postponed a $64m initial public offering that would have been used to help commercialise its radiation therapy system.

China's parliament is set to bring in rules giving markets the ability to choose who floats and allowing foreign companies to list in the country.

Johnson & Johnson-backed Galapagos, already listed in Amsterdam and Brussels, has filed for an initial public offering in the US.

The e-commerce services company, in which Alibaba is the largest shareholder, will use the proceeds for sales and marketing, and to improve its warehousing and technology infrastructure.