At $17.96bn, first quarter 2019 biopharma financing showed a significant increase over Q4 2018's $10.9bn, yet it was actually on par with 2018's opening quarter – which brought in total fundraising of $16.6bn– once again demonstrating a solid start to the year. The most Q1 financing dollars came from follow-on public offerings, accounting for $5.3bn, or 30% of the total (see Exhibit 1). This category featured $100m-plus offerings by 18 companies centered around various therapeutic areas. In the largest FOPO of Q1, Sage Therapeutics Inc. (selective allosteric GABA-A and NMDA receptor modulation) netted $561m, which it will put toward the US commercial launch of Zulresso (SAGE547; brexanolone injection) for postpartum depression (it was just approved in March 2019 Also see "Zulresso Is Sage’s First Step In Postpartum Depression Treatment" - Scrip, 20 March, 2019.); ongoing development of and initial pre-commercial activities for oral GABA-A modulator SAGE217 in major depressive disorder and insomnia (Phase III) and bipolar depression (Phase II); and advancement of Phase I oral candidates SAGE324 (essential tremor and epileptiform disorders) and SAGE718 (cognition-related disorders, including Huntington’s disease) [See Deal].
Biopharma Quarterly Dealmaking Statistics, Q1 2019
A Look At Financing, M&A And Alliance Activity January-March 2019
First quarter biopharma financing, at $17.96bn, demonstrated a 65% increase over Q4 2018. The $92bn in total M&A activity was led by Bristol-Myers Squibb's $74bn buy of top-tier public biotech Celgene. At $39.4bn in total potential deal value, alliance dealmaking started off 2019 strong, with most of the top partnerships in modalities outside the recently popular areas of immune checkpoint inhibitors or CAR-T therapies.
More from Market Intelligence
Thijs Spoor's bet on lead-212 is paying off as Perspective Therapeutics advances three clinical programs with promising early efficacy signals and a comprehensive manufacturing strategy.
Industry is trying to side-step President Trump’s tariff- and price-curbing policy proposals. It may do better facing up to enduring R&D productivity and drug affordability challenges.
UK pharma faces a critical turning point as the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act introduces the "Failure to Prevent Fraud" offense in September 2025, requiring companies to transform their approach to fraud prevention or face severe consequences.
CEO Judy Chou brings big pharma experience to tackle chronic inflammation with the company's first-in-class PSGL-1 targeting therapy.
More from In Vivo
Bristol Myers Squibb executive Doxie Jordan discusses his path to global commercial leadership and the principles guiding pharmaceutical market strategy
Devika Wood, CEO of Brain+, explains the importance of developing health tech solutions for dementia and the growing need to both raise awareness and improve overall access to nondrug interventions like CST.
In a challenging funding environment for biopharma, strategic dealmaking has become a critical growth engine. In Vivo explores what it truly takes to navigate high-stakes acquisitions and partnerships, drawing on insights from seasoned industry leaders.