Biopharma financing value for the first quarter of 2018 reached $16.6 billion, 14% more than Q4 2017's $14.5 billion. (See Exhibit 1.) Mostly the growth was due to a surge in follow-on public offerings, 72 of which together brought in $8.3 billion. This represented half of all Q1 financing activity, an increase in deal volume over last quarter's 52 FOPO transactions, and a 58% rise in dollar volume over Q4's $5.3 billion FOPO total.
Biopharma Quarterly Dealmaking Statistics, Q1 2018
A look at financing, M&A and alliance activity January–March 2018
Biopharma financing started the year solidly with $16.6 billion in total deal value, a 14% increase over the previous quarter. Q1 2018 biopharma merger and acquisition deal value, led by Cigna's $67 billion buy of Express Scripts, topped even the previous all-time-high set in Q4 2107, while alliances totaled $30.7 billion and featured big oncology and neurology partnerships.
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