The value of biopharma deals involving nonprofit partners declined sharply over the past several years, falling to about $127.43 million in 2025 after exceeding $21.4 billion in 2021. The 2025 total also represents a steep drop from 2024’s $754.56 million.

Biopharma partnerships involving nonprofits have declined sharply since peaking during the pandemic. Deal value surged from $5.18 billion in 2019 to $21.44 billion in 2021, driven by COVID-19 collaborations and vaccine-related funding, before falling to $7.99 billion in 2022 and $754.6 million in 2024. So far in 2025, nonprofit deal value totals $126 million through the third quarter.

Nonprofit dealmaking in biopharma has been limited in 2025, with total disclosed value reaching just $99.7 million through July. Nearly all of that came in January, when deals totaled $96.9 million. After a quiet first quarter, modest activity resumed with $1.4 million in April and $1.6 million in July, while the other months saw no reported nonprofit partnerships.

Biopharma nonprofit deals remained low in 2024, compared to the pandemic and pre-pandemic years, while grants saw a slight decline from the previous year.

Through September 2024, biopharma firms secured $720.56 million in nonprofit deals, up in value through July and also marking a 21% rise from the $593.23 million in the first three quarters of 2023, though still falling short of 2019-2022 levels. Grants saw an even sharper surge, jumping 131% year-over-year from $1.66 billion to $3.84 billion in the same period, falling short only of 2020 in value.

Through July 2024, biopharma firms received $2.52 billion in grants, marking a 52% increase from $1.66 billion in grants during the same period last year. However, nonprofit deals are at their lowest level on record, according to BioWorld’s records. Although nonprofit deal values were initially higher in April compared to 2023, they have since dropped and are now well below the levels seen in prior years.

Biopharma grants maintained their upward trajectory throughout 2023, culminating in a nearly 67% increase in value compared to 2022, mirroring the trend observed in October. Conversely, nonprofit deal value witnessed a continued year-over-year decline, falling by more than 90% in value.

Biopharma grants have sustained the upward trajectory noted in August, ending October up nearly 75% compared to the corresponding period last year. In contrast, nonprofit deal value has continued its year-over-year decline, marked by a more than 90% decrease in value.

Biopharma grants are up nearly 150% compared to the same time period last year, largely due to a number of $100 million-plus grants from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). Meanwhile, nonprofit deal value has declined year-over-year, with the number of transactions down 42.21%.

As the biopharma industry moves away from the COVID-19 pandemic and expands research in other areas, the amount of money flowing into companies through deals with nonprofit or government entities and grants has plummeted 53% in comparison with 2021. The drop is mainly due to a diminishing number and a lower overall value of bio/nonprofit partnerships. Grants, on the other hand, have risen in both areas.