For biopharma, the 2023 post-pandemic reality check has been harsh, replete with sagging stock prices, bankruptcy filings and restructurings, as well as IPOs at their lowest levels in a decade. The good news, according to a handful of industry experts, is that it could be coming to an end, possibly as early as 2024.
“Sometimes the market gets ahead of the science,” said Dennis Purcell, founder of Aisling Capital, pointing to the way backers of genomics firms “went nuts” in the early 2000s. “I think we’re in a position today where the science is ahead of where the market is.” The remarks by venture capital (VC) expert Purcell came during a virtual salon hosted Aug. 30 by Demy-Colton and titled “VC Trends in Healthcare Investing: Current Pulse Check.” Panelists acknowledged the currently unfavorable financing environment but sounded upbeat about the industry’s path forward.