Report:Positive Outlook for Investment in Global Pharma and Biotech Industry

Print 30 May 2014
Melanie Sena, BioPharm International

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan’s Private Equity and Venture Capital Investment reveals the total number of private equity and venture capital (PEVC) deals in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry decreased from 1063 in 2010 to 480 in 2013. However, while the returns from the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry have been dwindling, they are better compared to the performance of other industries, the report finds.

“PE deals in the pharmaceutical sector have been relatively stable over the post-recession period whereas activity in the biotechnology segment began to decrease after reaching its peak in 2010, due to the uncertainty caused by healthcare reform in the US, long incubation periods, and delayed approvals,” said E. Saneesh, PhD, a Frost & Sullivan financial analyst. “VC deals across both these sectors also started to plummet from 2011 due to risks associated with regulatory uncertainty, long gestation periods, and increased cost of production.”

However, the strong comeback of initial public offerings (IPOs) in 2013 signals a positive outlook for investment in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, Saneesh says. The number of IPOs in the global biotechnology sector surged by 100% between 2012 and 2013, primarily due to the 26 IPOs that took place in the US. IPOs in the pharmaceutical industry also rose with 11 deals in 2013, after the volume of IPOs declined to almost one-sixth of the sector’s value between 2011 and 2012.

As a result of the rise in IPOs, exit opportunities are expected to increase for investors. The trend will continue to increase due to the anticipated growth of corporate investor-backed IPOs.

“PEVC investors in the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry have demonstrated maximum interest in oncology drugs, followed by anti-infective drugs and pharmaceutical contract laboratories,” stated Saneesh. “They have also concluded the maximum pharmaceutical- and biotechnology-related PEVC deals in the US and are expected to continue to do so in the forthcoming years. Industry players most aligned with these trends will be well positioned to obtain financial support from PEVC investors.

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