Shares of Vir Biotechnology Inc. (NASDAQ:VIR) slid about 16% on Thursday after the company revealed pricing for an underwritten public offering of common stock. The offering price was set at $8.50 per share, which represents a 15% discount to the stock's closing price of $10 on the prior trading day.
Vir is offering 17,647,058 shares in the transaction, for expected gross proceeds of $150 million before underwriting discounts and commissions. The company has also provided underwriters with a 30-day option to buy up to an additional 2,647,058 shares at the public offering price.
All of the shares in the offering are being sold by Vir Biotechnology itself. The company has indicated the offering is expected to close on February 27, 2026, but completion is subject to customary closing conditions.
Book-running managers for the offering are named as Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Leerink Partners, Evercore ISI and Barclays. Those firms will coordinate the underwriting and distribution process for the sale.
Vir Biotechnology is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that focuses on discovering and developing medicines for infectious diseases and cancer. The company description was included in the announcement accompanying the offering details.
Context and immediate market reaction
The pricing announcement and the size of the sale coincided with a notable drop in Vir's share price on the day the offering was disclosed. The discount to the previous session's close and the fact that all offered shares are being sold by the company were the primary facts conveyed in the public filing and the accompanying market notices.
Operational details
- Offering price: $8.50 per share.
- Primary shares offered: 17,647,058 common shares.
- Overallotment option: Up to 2,647,058 additional shares available to underwriters for 30 days at the offering price.
- Estimated gross proceeds: $150 million before underwriting discounts and commissions.
- Expected closing date: February 27, 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.
- Book-running managers: Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Leerink Partners, Evercore ISI and Barclays.
Company focus
Vir Biotechnology is identified as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with programs aimed at infectious diseases and cancer. The offering documentation reiterates that corporate focus without further operational detail in the public announcement.