[Kim Saemi, Edaily Reporter] The biotech and healthcare sector experienced a rare surge in positive momentum on June 24, driven by optimism surrounding the 2026 BIO International Convention, also known as BIO USA, the world’s largest biotech event.

Several Korean biotech stocks rose sharply, including Alteogen, up 11.56 percent, Peptron, up 14.59 percent; LigaChem Biosciences, up 10.58 percent; HLB, up 5.89 percent; OliX Pharmaceuticals, up 13.91 percent; and Rznomics, up 10.12 percent. Among them, Rokit Healthcare and AprilBio hit their daily upper limits, while HanAll Biopharma also surged on a stock-specific catalyst.

Rokit Healthcare Hits Limit-Up on Hopes for a Nasdaq Listing of Its U.S. Subsidiary

According to KG Zeroin’s MP DOCTOR, formerly MarketPoint, Rokit Healthcare closed at 48,000 won on June 24, up 11,050 won, or 29.91 percent. The stock reached its daily upper limit early in the session on expectations that Rokit America, its wholly owned U.S. subsidiary, is moving closer to a Nasdaq listing.

Earlier in the day, Rokit Healthcare announced that Rokit America had completed procedures related to Form S-1 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company stated that the subsidiary had entered the final stage toward listing on the Nasdaq Global Market.

However, some market observers noted that it remains unclear whether the “completion” of the S-1 process refers to clearance of SEC comments, the effectiveness of the registration, or simply the submission of an amended S-1/A filing. If the SEC declares the registration statement effective, an “EFFECT” filing is typically posted, followed by a final 424B4 prospectus containing the final offering price.

The company stated that, once completed, the listing would make Rokit America the first subsidiary of a KOSDAQ-listed Korean biotech company to list on the Nasdaq Global Market. It also noted that the expected 38 billion won in funding would help the company pioneer clinical development and markets in regenerative medicine across North and South America.

The key question is whether Rokit America can sustain its valuation after listing. Korean biotech companies have previously succeeded in listing subsidiaries or affiliates on Nasdaq, but none have maintained their Nasdaq-listed status to date.

Another hurdle is that the expected IPO proceeds alone may not be enough to initiate clinical trials for the company’s core platforms. In its S-1/A filing, Rokit America estimated net proceeds of $21.9 million—or about 32.9 billion won—based on the midpoint of the offering price range. The company stated that the proceeds would not be sufficient to initiate clinical trials for its cartilage regeneration and kidney regeneration platforms.

“At this time, we do not expect to complete—or may not even initiate—Phase I clinical trials for these platforms using the proceeds from this offering,” the filing stated.

PharmEdaily has sent a written inquiry to Rokit America and is currently awaiting a response.

AprilBio Shares Surge on Takeover Rumors and Capital Raise

AprilBio shares rallied after reports emerged that Taekwang Industrial, together with IMM Investment, would spend 300 billion won to acquire control of the company.

AprilBio closed the regular session at 39,700 won, up 5,350 won, or 15.57 percent. In after-hours trading, the stock jumped 10,300 won, or 29.99 percent, to 44,650 won. The move to the daily upper limit appears to have been driven by the partial confirmation of the takeover rumor through the company’s disclosure.

As the news spread, investor demand for confirmation grew. The KOSDAQ Market Division of the Korea Exchange requested that AprilBio submit a disclosure regarding the takeover rumor involving Taekwang Industrial at 4:25 p.m. on the same day. The company is required to respond by noon on June 25.

At 7 p.m., AprilBio disclosed that it had decided to carry out a third-party private placement. According to the filing, the company will issue 4,095,456 common shares to IMM Asset Management and IMM Scale-up Bio No. 1 LLC to raise 141.78 billion won. The issue price is 34,620 won per share, the same as the reference price. All proceeds will be used as working capital, including research and development expenses.

If the payment is completed as disclosed, IMM Asset Management will become AprilBio’s largest shareholder. The payment date is July 23, and the new shares are scheduled to be listed on August 13. IMM Asset Management plans to establish an institutional private equity fund and a special purpose company (SPC) and transfer its contractual status and related rights to them.

AprilBio also stated that the recipients of the third-party allotment each signed a share purchase agreement with CEO Cha Sang-hoon, the company’s current largest shareholder, on the same day. However, Taekwang Industrial was not included in the disclosure regarding the capital increase.

PharmEdaily contacted AprilBio several times to verify the facts but was unable to reach the company.

HanAll Biopharma Shares Surge on Revaluation of IMVT-1402

HanAll Biopharma surged after global market research firm Evaluate revalued imeroprubart, or IMVT-1402, an FcRn inhibitor.

On June 24, HanAll Biopharma closed at 58,600 won, up 9,300 won, or 18.86 percent. The rally appears to have been driven by Evaluate’s “World Preview 2026: Big Drugs. Bigger Questions.,” which identified IMVT-1402 as one of the world’s high-value research and development projects.

In the report released on June 23 local time, Evaluate ranked IMVT-1402 sixth among the world’s top 10 R&D projects by net present value (NPV). The report projected IMVT-1402’s 2032 sales at $5.1 billion—or about 7.9 trillion won—and estimated its current NPV at $16.9 billion—or about 26.17 trillion won. Among the immunomodulator candidates in the top 10, IMVT-1402 had the highest NPV.

Some market observers cautioned that the $5.1 billion sales forecast may reflect estimates related to both Immunovant and its parent company, Roivant. As such, the figure should not be interpreted simply as a consensus estimate of pure product sales for IMVT-1402.

IMVT-1402’s NPV was raised from $9.8 billion, or about 15.18 trillion won, in January to $16.9 billion in the latest report. HanAll Biopharma believes the upward revision reflects real patient data following the release of interim Phase 2 results in difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis (D2T-RA) earlier this year.

“In January, no patient data was available for IMVT-1402, so the valuation inevitably had to be estimated indirectly based on data from a preceding molecule,” said a HanAll Biopharma official. “With the release of the interim D2T-RA results, we believe those data were reflected in the increase in valuation.”

For HanAll Biopharma, the latest valuation could serve as a catalyst for the revaluation of its out-licensed asset. The company is entitled to receive milestone payments and royalties upon the successful commercialization of IMVT-1402. The royalty rate is known to range from the mid-single digits to the mid-teens, generally interpreted as around 5 to 15 percent.

Further upside remains possible. HanAll Biopharma believes the latest valuation primarily reflects the interim D2T-RA results. Immunovant is scheduled to release additional D2T-RA data and proof-of-concept topline results for cutaneous lupus erythematosus in the second half of this year. Additional indication data for Graves’ disease and myasthenia gravis are expected next year.

“We believe the current valuation reflects only the interim D2T-RA results,” said a HanAll Biopharma official. “If additional indication data are released in the future, there remains room for further upside.”