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Julie Zhang

A US-headquartered biotech firm plans to seek a primary listing in Hong Kong, joining a swelling pipeline of artificial intelligence-powered medical players raising capital in the city.
Axiom Biosciences, which develops experimental therapies for newborns with severe brain injuries by using AI, is targeting at least US$200 million through an initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong in 2027, followed by a secondary listing in the US in 2029.
“Some of the most important science in the world is being built in the United States, but the way it gets funded hasn’t kept pace,” said Remo Moomiaie-Qajar, founder and CEO of Axiom, in a statement.
The company planned to list in Hong Kong “because that is where deep biotechnology capital and many of our own clinical partners increasingly are. This is about building Axiom as a global company from the start”, he added.
In an interview, Moomiaie-Qajar said healthcare companies that listed in Hong Kong have been, for the last several years, outperforming Nasdaq listings during the same period. Hong Kong was “more mature and understanding of how to handle publicly listed companies” in the sector, he said.
The company said it would be the first biotech firm operating in the US to list in Hong Kong.
Founded in 2018 and headquartered in San Diego, California, Axiom had raised US$17.17 million over 13 funding rounds, according to CB Insights.

Its pipeline spanned eight modalities in regenerative medicine, immunology and oncology, with its two most advanced programmes advancing to phase two trials, its website showed.
The two leading candidates treat bleeding in the brains of premature babies and brain damage in newborns caused by oxygen deprivation during birth, conditions known as IVH and HIE, respectively.
“In the US alone, there are 11,000 children who would be eligible for these drugs. If I extrapolate to China, the number must be many times higher” due to the sheer size of the population, Moomiaie-Qajar said.
“We have several ongoing discussions with companies in mainland China [and South Korea to expand] the business strategy of co-developing products.”
Axiom joins a swelling roster of healthcare firms seeking IPO approval in Hong Kong, including CSPC Innovation Pharmaceutical, a unit of novel drug developer CSPC Pharmaceutical Group.
The company developed novel drugs and produced caffeine, functional ingredients, nutritional products, and biopharmaceuticals, according to the website of bourse operator Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing.
China’s largest medical equipment maker, Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics, refiled its Hong Kong listing application on May 11 after its initial submission lapsed after six months. The company has built its own AI system capable of monitoring hospital patients in real time.
A total of 11 healthcare and drug companies raised HK$14.1 billion (US$1.8 billion) in the first half of this year in Hong Kong, seven of which were pre-profit biotech listings, compared with six such firms in the same period last year, according to Deloitte.
A total of 83 companies raised US$26.42 billion on the main board in the first six months, cementing Hong Kong’s status as the world’s second-largest IPO venue.


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Axiom Biosciences founder says Hong Kong investors show greater maturity than Nasdaq in handling biotech companies


Axiom Biosciences founder says Hong Kong investors show greater maturity than Nasdaq in handling biotech companies.


US biotech firm developing therapies for infant brain injuries plans Hong Kong listing

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Axiom Biosciences founder says Hong Kong investors show greater maturity than Nasdaq in handling biotech companies

Axiom Biosciences founder says Hong Kong investors show greater maturity than Nasdaq in handling biotech companies