As the year draws to a close, there is no doubt that investors have been keeping a close watch on emerging companies developing cancer therapies as well as those with new vaccines and treatments aimed at defeating COVID-19.
With a $39 billion offer in hand, Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. is the target of what could be the third largest takeover to date of a pure play biotech company. At a 45% premium, the proposed transaction, which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021, is largely applauded by analysts who point to three years of languishing stock prices despite the promise of the Boston-based company’s C5 complement franchise and a sturdy pipeline.
For the first time since August, the volume of clinical data has dipped, with 388 items of phase I, II and III data in November, a 4% decrease compared with the prior month. Again, 17% of the entries during the month are focused on vaccines and therapeutics to fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The same percentage held true in October. The pandemic accounted for 16% of the clinical data in September, 15% in August and 16% in July.
Nothing much has changed since last month. This year is still, by far, the best year for financings in biopharma history, although the gap between 2020 and the next highest year has widened even more.
No one will be sad to see the back of a horrendous year, with the raging pandemic bringing the world to its knees. However, the potential end to this dire situation is now tantalizingly in sight. The collective sigh of relief was certainly demonstrated by investors. According to Cowen & Co. analysts, “the sector had its strongest rally since the Spring and the biotech indices kept pace with the broader markets."
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