AGS Associates

Happy 4th July to our U.S. network!

Reach out to Anna Reed directly if you're interested in joining our London team! We are currently hiring for our July and September Development Programmes.

Please reach out to Anna Reed ([email protected]) if you are interested in joining AGS Associates for our July and September Development Programmes.

Brain drug developer Alto Neuroscience prices $129M IPO 💵 Another biotechnology company has hit Wall Street via an initial public offering, the third to do so this year in an uptick of IPO activity that suggests rebounding investor interest in life sciences stocks. Alto Neuroscience raised about $129M on Thursday, selling 8,040,000 shares at $16 apiece. Alto's pricing follows January IPOs from CG Oncology and Arrivent Biopharma. Combined, the three have raised $684M, significantly more than what the first three biotechs to price IPOs last year raised. Alto is developing drugs for central nervous system diseases, focused on conditions such as major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and schizophrenia. Its approach relies on developing new biomarkers to identify people most likely to respond to its treatments. #biopharma #neuroscience #ipo #biopharmaipo

Walmart announces ambitious 5-year growth plan 🛒 Walmart announced Wednesday a five year plan to build or convert more than 150 locations while simultaneously continuing its efforts to remodel existing stores. Over the next 12 months, the retail giant said it aims to remodel 650 stores across 47 states and Puerto Rico. President and CEO John Furner said the company is 'finalizing construction plans' on 12 new stores it aims to start building this year. Neighbourhood Markets in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and Atlanta will be the first locations to open later this spring. The newly opened and remodelled locations are also more sustainable than previous builds, with energy-efficient equipment and lighting, lower-impact refrigerants and more. #construction #constructionindustry #commercialconstruction #walmart

4 heart device trends shaping the medtech sector in 2024 ❤️ Medical technology companies in 2024 are launching devices that address two especially vexing challenges affecting millions of heart patients: high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation. Heart device heavyweights are focusing on pulsed field ablation; Medtronic, Boston Scientific, J&J and Abbott are all pursuing this emerging market. Boston Scientific faces challengers in left atrial appendage treatment; both Medtronic and J&J announced the acquisition of similar devices in late 2023. Reimbursement is key as Medtronic forges new ground in hypertension; Medtronic has brought one of the first device-based treatments to the market for patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure and risk of heart attack or stroke. Valve leader Edwards is targeting a wider patient population as heart valve procedures have been slow to bounce back after the COVID-19 pandemic. #medtech #medtechindustry #heart #medicaltechnology

US hotel openings to watch in 2024 🛏 In the third quarter of 2023, several hotel companies posted record development pipelines. The pipeline of ground-up builds is increasingly dominated by the growing luxury and lifestyle segment. This year, new hotels will cater to the growing number of travellers seeking luxury, sustainable stays and adventure and experiences. Some of the top hotel and resort projects to watch in 2024 include the Signia by Hilton in Atlanta and Le Meridien in Fort Worth Downtown. Set to open in the summer, Populus in Denver is billed as the U.S.'s first 'carbon positive' hotel and The Dunlin in South Carolina is one of Vogue magazine's most anticipated hotels for 2024. #construction #constructionindustry #hotelconstruction #USconstruction

The trends that will shape the biotech industry in 2024 📅 AI has completely shifted the paradigm in the biotech industry and provides the opportunity to save time in many different ways. The field now encompasses various RNA-based therapies and they are anticipating RNA technologies to become more complex. The CRISPR sector is poised for growth; it has opened up new doors for treating genetic disorders. In 2024, bioprinting and tissue engineering are expected to be significant trends in the bioengineering industry. One of the key trends is the increasing variety of stem cell types being used in research and development. The targeted protein degradation market is growing rapidly and is expected to continue its upward trajectory in 2024. Experts in the field believe that the biotech industry is poised for recovery in 2024, and one reason for that would be a favourable climate for M&A activity. #biotech #biotechindustry #biotechtrends #biotech2024

Eight mental health biotech companies trying to make a difference to people's lives 🧠 According to a report last year, there were at least 163 drugs targeting mental health already in the clinic or waiting for FDA review. Despite the hurdles associated with developing drugs for psychiatric conditions - for example, the underlying pathology of many of these types of diseases is not very well understood - many biotech companies have set up with a primary focus on these disorders. Alto Neuroscience are backed by Eli Lilly and other investors; their clinical pipeline includes novel drug candidates for depression, PTSD, schizophrenia and other mental health conditions. Vistagen is aiming to transform the treatment landscape for individuals living with anxiety, depression and other CNS disorders. Read more in the article below. #mentalhealth #biotech #biotechnology #mentalhealthconditions

3 infrastructure trends for 2024 🏗 The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is more than two years into its five-year funding cycle, with a third of the money disbursed, and experts say its momentum is growing. The fruits of that funding are emerging and a wave of IIJA-funded projects are set to wrap up in 2024. Three infrastructure-related trends builders can expect to see more of in 2024 is revised federal regulations; with a flood of public money come revised regulations for civil builders to navigate. Secondly, while infrastructure projects have used digital platforms for everything from drawings to document management for a while now, the complexity and capacity of those tools is expanding. The delivery methods for massive infrastructure projects are rapidly diversifying beyond the classic design-build and progressive design-build approaches. #infrastructure #construction #infrastructureconstruction #usconstruction