SAN FRANCISCO – The superlatives were flowing for the continuing progress of the regenerative medicine sector at the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine's (ARM) state of the industry briefing on cell and gene therapies presented at the recent Biotech Showcase 2018 conference. Speaking to a packed audience of pharma and biotech company delegates as well as industry analysts and media, Robert Preti, chairman of ARM and president and CEO of Hitachi Chemical Advanced Therapeutics Solutions, proclaimed that 2017 represented a truly breakthrough year for the sector in his opening remarks of the event.

Last year, there were 1,015 biopharmaceutical deals recorded by Cortellis Deals Intelligence, with projected values at signing of $80.89 billion. This total represented a slight 3 percent drop on the deal totals calculated in 2016, and a 24 percent decline over 2015, despite the fact that the deal volume was 24 percent and 12 percent higher than the 2016 and 2015 volumes, respectively. 

Last year, there were 1,015 biopharmaceutical deals recorded by Cortellis Deals Intelligence, with projected values at signing of $80.89 billion. This total represented a slight 3 percent drop on the deal totals calculated in 2016, and a 24 percent decline over 2015, despite the fact that the deal volume was 24 percent and 12 percent higher than the 2016 and 2015 volumes, respectively. 

SAN FRANCISCO – Our immune system is in a constant state of flux not only adapting to disease perturbations but also retaining a "memory" of the invading pathogens so it is ready to instantly recognize and produce a response to them in the future. What if we could interpret this immune memory blueprint? It would provide a fascinating window into a person's health history.

The biopharmaceutical industry's annual report card posted a B-plus. The BioWorld Biopharmaceutical Index, which embraces 21 of the top blue chip companies, generated a healthy 9 percent jump in value and the BioWorld Drug Developers Index soared a spectacular 55 percent in 2017. In a normal year, those returns would be more than enough to earn an A rating. However, the sector stumbled in the second half of the year with the Biopharmaceutical Index recording a 15 percent jump in value for the first six months of 2017, but a disappointing 5 percent drop in value in the second half of the year.

It appears that the biopharmaceutical industry's innovation engine is back on track and making up for its poor return on research investments last year when only 22 new molecular entities (NMEs) received the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) green light, the fewest number for five years. (See BioWorld Insight, Dec. 27, 2016.)

It appears that the biopharmaceutical industry's innovation engine is back on track and making up for its poor return on research investments last year when only 22 new molecular entities (NMEs) received the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) green light, the fewest number for five years. (See BioWorld Insight, Dec. 27, 2016.)

Since the mid-point of this year investors have cooled on biotech equities with the BioWorld Biopharmaceutical Index slipping 4 percent in value over this period. It was a different story for the first six months, with the index growing a healthy 14 percent. This dramatic swing in sentiment took its toll on stock valuations with 44 percent of the biopharmas companies registering a drop in their share price over the year.

In many ways it has been a challenging year for the biopharmaceutical industry and it is certain that company executives will be glad to close the curtains on a period that has made planning difficult.