argenx raises $1B as it readies to challenge Soliris

Generously sized fund-raises are becoming something of a signature for argenx, which Wednesday raised $1 billion in a follow-on to help the Dutch company prepare for its first launch this year as well as fund the seven trials of its lead product candidate, autoimmune therapy efgartigimod.

It’s the largest raise by a biotech since Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) raised more than $1.3 billion in May of last year.  argenx S.E. (Euronext:ARGX; NASDAQ:ARGX) has now raised $3 billion since its IPO priced at €11.60 on Euronext in 2014, including one of last year’s largest offerings at $862.5 million. The company’s IPO is one of biotech’s best performing stocks over the past decade, with more than a 31x return in less than seven years...