The first day of Bio-Europe Spring, being held for the first time in Lisbon this year, featured panels on the partnering landscape in specific indications, as well as a more general panel on “Piecing Together the Therapeutic Landscape with Analyst Insights.” One theme of the panel was that by and large, large companies are looking for deals with companies that fit with their existing programs – but that such a fit can come in many forms.

At Biocom’s Global Partnering and Investor Conference, representatives from the business development departments at various pharmaceutical companies provided an update on their appetites for deals. The mood was fairly upbeat because, let’s face it, large pharma has become dependent on external development.

At Biocom’s Global Partnering and Investor Conference, venture capitalists (VCs) on multiple panels offered their thoughts on the state of venture investing and offered advice for startups interested in securing funding. Sentiment for early stage investment was somewhat mixed, but trended negative as VCs acknowledged that it’s a tough environment in which to raise capital.