EY Beyond Borders 2015

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Section heading

Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Beyond borders
Reaching new heights

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Section heading

To our clients
and friends
These are very good times for the biotechnology industry. For the
second straight year, biotech companies have delivered strong, and
sometimes unprecedented, results on almost every metric we track
revenues, profitability, financings, new drug approvals and more.
Across the biotechnology industry, these achievements have been
accompanied by optimism that the sector has entered a renewed age
of innovation, buoyed by both high-profile product breakthroughs and
scientific advancements.
Investors have not simply recognized these efforts. They have rewarded them. Market
valuations for biotechs reached new heights in both the US and Europe in 2014, and
the window for initial public offerings remained open for eight consecutive quarters, a
new record. As a result of the booming stock market, historic amounts of innovation
capital are available to the smaller players in the industry, which remain the wellspring
of future breakthroughs.
In this, our 29th annual Beyond borders report, Reaching new heights, we celebrate the
biotechnology industrys recent achievements. In doing so, we take stock of not just
where we have been, but the implications for the future.
We firmly believe the biotechnology industry cannot afford to become complacent.
In particular, the industry must continue to work with patients, payers, providers and
governments around the globe to devise not just new products for unmet medical
needs, but beyond the pill solutions that improve care delivery and health outcomes.
Moreover, the industry has a vital role to play in helping devise new payment and
financing schemes that enable access to the breakthrough innovations of the future.
At EY, we arent becoming complacent either. Long-time
readers will notice a change in the format of this years
report. Recognizing that time is a precious commodity,
we are moving away from issuing large, annual reports
to the more frequent publication of insights via a new
digital platform. Thus, we are unbundling in-depth
perspective pieces from our industry trend data to
enable readers to access our content when it is most
needed: in real time. You can join the conversation and
keep up to date with our latest perspectives at our new
digital home, Vital Signs (ey.com/VitalSigns), and our
Twitter feed (@EY_LifeSciences).
As biotechnology companies strive to solve harder
problems, EYs global organization stands ready to
help you reach even higher heights.
2

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Glen T. Giovannetti
Global Life
Sciences Leader

Section heading

Contents
4
10

The year in review


Life of a start-up CEO: priorities and preparation
Katrine Bosley, Editas Medicine

12

The European biotechs strategic decision: list in Europe or the US?


Jrn Aldag, uniQure

14

Financial performance

15

The big picture

20

United States

28

Europe

31

Australia

32

Canada

33

Financing

34

The big picture

39

United States

47

Europe

54

Deals

55

The big picture

63

United States

65

Europe

68

Appendix

69

Acknowledgments

70

Data exhibit index

72

Contacts
Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

The year in review

Beyond borders 2015

The year in review

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

The year in review

The view from the top

This was a year for the record books. On almost every measure we track revenues, profitability, capital
raised and more the industry reached new heights in 2014, spurred by a confluence of positive trends.
Sustained sales of high-profile products continued to boost investor sentiment. Examples include Biogens
Tecfidera and Gilead Sciences hepatitis C medicines, Sovaldi and Harvoni, which quickly became two of the
most successful product launches in the industrys history.

It was also a landmark year for new


product approvals, as a more supportive
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) clarified the use of new expedited
approval channels for breakthrough
medicines. Against a backdrop of
booming stock markets and expansionary
monetary policies, these product
successes helped propel the biotech
industrys market capitalization above
the US$1 trillion threshold, a new high.

Financial performance
The news-making product successes
of 2014 had an outsized impact on the
industrys financial results. In particular,
the rapid ramp-up of Gilead Sciences
hepatitis C products significantly boosted
the revenues and net income of the sector.
Financial performance was also affected
by the large number of initial public
offerings (IPOs), which increased revenues
and R&D while lowering net income.
Across the four established biotech
clusters that we track the US, Europe,
Australia and Canada revenues
grew 24% in 2014. Adjusting for the
Gilead effect, revenue growth would
have been 12%, still ahead of the 10%
delivered in 2013.

Biotechnology at a glance across the four established clusters, 2014


(US$m)

Total

US

Europe

Australia

Canada

Public company data


$123,096

$93,050

$23,992

$5,794

$260

R&D expense

$35,387

$28,831

$5,576

$681

$299

Net income (loss)

$14,852

$10,618

$3,255

$1,066

($87)

$1,063,415

$853,862

$162,149

$42,177

$5,227

183,610

110,090

58,770

13,370

1,380

714

403

196

52

63

Revenues

Market capitalization
Number of employees
Number of public companies

Numbers may appear inconsistent because of rounding.


Source: EY.

Against a backdrop of booming stock


markets and expansionary monetary policies,
product successes help propel the biotech
industrys market capitalization above the
US$1 trillion threshold.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

The year in review

R&D spending increased by 20% very


impressive and substantially above
the adjusted revenue growth amount.
R&D growth rates were strong in both
the US (22%) and Europe (14%). In
both markets, noncommercial leaders
expanded their R&D spending faster
than the commercial leader cohort.

Net income skyrocketed 231% to


US$14.9 billion, another historic high.
Most of this increase (82%) came from
Gilead. In the wake of the global financial
crisis, the biotech sector had reached
aggregate profitability for the first time
as a result of sharp cuts in R&D spending
across the industry. In 2014, on the other
hand, the huge increase in profitability
was for all the right reasons: strong sales
of newly launched products resulted in
even stronger increases in profits.

The US sector had one of its best


showings ever. Revenue grew 29%, or 12%
normalized for Gileads results. Adjusted
for Gileads performance, the unusually
large number of IPOs and the acquisition
of Life Technologies by Thermo Fisher
Scientific, US revenue growth would have
been an impressive 18%. R&D spend
grew by 22%, with nearly 70% of biotech
companies increasing their spending,
slightly above the historical average

FDA product approvals, 19962014


New molecular entities

Biologic license applications

60

50

Number of approvals

40

30

20

10

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

US product approvals are based only on approvals by FDAs Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER).
Source: EY and FDA.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

The year in review

While most of the growth came from US


commercial leaders, led by Gilead, the
rest of the industry more than held its
own, particularly in revenue growth and
R&D investments.
The significant uptick in US biotech
valuations drove a spike in the number
of pre-commercial-stage companies
with market capitalizations greater than
US$1 billion. As of 31 December 2014,
26 US companies reached this threshold,
up from just three in 2007.
The European biotech sector also put in a
very strong showing, although not quite
as robust as that of its US counterpart.
Revenue growth rebounded strongly,
reaching 15% in 2014 compared to the
modest 3% uptick of 2013. Adjusted
for the large number of IPOs, European
revenue growth would have been 14%
instead of 15%. R&D spending increased
by 14%, a strong turnaround relative
to 2013, when R&D spending actually
declined by 4%.
Net income increased by a very healthy
199%, to US$3.3 billion. This percentage
increase didnt match the steep growth
rate of 2013, when net income soared
by 462%. Adjusted for the US$1.6 billion
breakup fee Shire received when AbbVie
called off the proposed merger between
the two companies, net income growth
still would have been an impressive 52%.

Since 2007, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of US


precommercial companies with market cap >US$1b
30

25
Number of companies

of about two-thirds of companies. Net


income almost tripled, reaching a new
high of US$10.6 billion.

20

15

10

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Only therapeutics companies are included.


Pre-commercial companies only have assets that are at the pre-approval stage.
Based on market values as of 31 December of each year.
Source: EY and Capital IQ.

Global R&D spending increased by 20%


very impressive and substantially above the
adjusted revenue growth amount. In the US
and Europe, noncommercial leaders expanded
their R&D spending faster than the commercial
leader cohort.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

The year in review

Financing
The biotech bull market drove an
extraordinary surge in IPOs and follow-on
financings. Capital raised via US and
European IPOs rose a remarkable 93% to
US$6.8 billion in 2014. This annual total
was the second-highest in the industrys
history, second only to the US$7.8 billion
raised during the genomics bubble of 2000.
While the IPO class of 2014 may have
netted less capital, the companies that
listed during the most recent window
were more mature than those that
debuted in 2000. Eighty-one percent of
the members of the 2013-14 class had
lead candidates in Phase II or later, and
the majority retained the rights to their
products. Meanwhile, capital raised in
follow-on offerings increased by 49% to
US$13.8 billion, setting a new record.

Venture capital increased by 28% to


US$7.6 billion the second-highest total
on record and considerably higher than
the US$5.5 billionUS$5.9 billion raised
annually between 2008 and 2013. In a
positive sign for innovation, early rounds
generated US$1.8 billion, a greater
total than at any point in at least the last
decade. At US$10 million, the median deal
value recouped by early-stage firms was
also the largest dollar amount since 2006.
Debt financing also soared to a new
record, reaching US$26.0 billion, or
more than twice the 2003-13 average.
This was driven, as in prior years, by the
ability of large companies to raise funds
at low interest rates to refinance existing
debt, fund working capital and finance
share repurchases. Five large companies
closed six debt transactions of more than
US$1 billion each.

For the second year in a row, the


biotechnology industry enjoyed
robust gains in innovation capital,
which reached a new high of
US$27.6 billion in 2014.
8

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

The year also brought good news for


innovation capital, a metric we defined
to track the funds raised by companies
with revenues of less than US$500 million.
As such, innovation capital is a key
measure of the sustainability of a broad
swath of biotech companies that depend
on the capital markets to fund R&D. For the
second year in a row, the biotechnology
industry enjoyed robust gains in innovation
capital, reaching US$18.6 billion in 2013
and a new high of US$27.6 billion in 2014.
This represents a 120% increase from
the annual average of US$12.5 billion
achieved from 2009 to 2012.
The US biotech sector set new records
in total capital raised (US$45.1 billion)
as well as funds raised through
IPOs (US$4.9 billion) and debt
(US$23.9 billion). Biotechs raised
US$5.6 billion in venture financing
(slightly behind the US$6.1 billion raised
in 2007), while follow-on financings
reached US$10.7 billion (second only to
the almost US$13 billion raised in 2000).
Increases in financing totals were equally
strong in Europe, where the biotech sector
racked up its strongest performance in
the history of the industry and posted the
second-strongest performance in each
individual financing category. European
companies raised US$9.2 billion, a
year-over-year increase of 53%, and 97%
more than the previous 10-year average.
European biotechs raised US$1.9 billion
through IPOs, US$2 billion in venture
capital, US$2.2 billion in debt financing
and US$3.1 billion in follow-on offerings.

The year in review

Deals
This was a standout year for M&A and
alliances involving biotech companies,
as several trends made this a sellers
market. Booming stock market valuations
gave biotech companies more financing
options and, therefore, more power at the
negotiating table. This bargaining power
was further boosted by the fact that big
pharma companies have been eager
to acquire commercial-stage biotech
companies to address revenue shortfalls
that have arisen due to pricing pressures,
slower growth in emerging markets and
R&D challenges. In addition, big pharma
companies face more competition for the
best assets from specialty pharma firms
and big biotechs.
M&A activity reached a 10-year high
in both deal number and value (after
normalizing the numbers to exclude
megadeals, which we define as
transactions valued at US$5 billion or
more). There were 68 biotechnology M&A
deals with a total value of US$49 billion,
a 46% increase over 2013. Adjusting for
megadeals, pharma companies spent
more on biotech acquisitions than at any
time in the previous seven years.

On the alliance front, biotech companies


entered 152 licensing deals worth
US$46.8 billion in 2014, making it the
most lucrative year for those seeking
alliances. As was the case for mergers and
acquisitions, in 2014 biotechs captured
more of the total potential alliance value
at a deals signing than at any time
since the financial crisis. Indeed, as a
percentage of total deal value, up-front
payments reached 11%, while the total
dollars paid up front for alliances soared
96% to US$5.1 billion.

In a sign of the
increased bargaining
power of biotech
companies, acquirers
paid significantly
higher deal premiums.

Reasons to celebrate
The biotechnology industrys strong
performance in 2014 across so many
different metrics is a reason to celebrate.
Inevitably, there will be declines in some of
the measures we track as we cycle out of
the current boom period. Having reached
new heights, however, it is worth taking a
moment to reflect on just how much the
industry has matured. Indeed, the view
from the top is pretty good.

In a sign of the increased bargaining


power of biotech companies, acquirers
paid significantly higher deal premiums.
They also paid more up front. Only 33%
of the M&A transactions signed in 2014
featured future earn-outs, down from
45% a year earlier.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

The year in review

External perspective

Life of a start-up CEO:


priorities and preparation

Katrine Bosley

CEO, Editas Medicine

Everyone has some idea of what biopharma CEOs do, based on what you can see as a team member within a
company or as someone watching the industry from outside. In general, though, I find that these views usually
see only part of the picture.
I didnt fully appreciate this until I first
stepped into the CEO role. For every
visible part of that role, theres a lot that
happens behind the scenes. It takes a
while to figure out where to focus your
time as a CEO, and there are areas that
require much more time and energy
than I had anticipated. Three of these
areas are the board of directors, external
engagement and capital strategy.
I found that biotech CEOs can lean on
three different groups for advice and
perspective: their senior management
team, their board of directors and their
fellow CEOs. With my internal team,
we discuss everything from the vision,
strategy and values to organizational
development, day-to-day management
and operational issues that are central to
building a biotech.
I tap my CEO posse for advice and
real-time, been-there-done-that
perspectives. In many cases, these CEOs
are shepherding companies that are two
to three years ahead of mine in terms of
their evolution. That means I get both
critical outsider views from this group and

10

also advice on what steps to take now to


create the right foundation to build my
company longer term.

Board matters
The board, in my mind, is first and
foremost a resource. Like my peers, my
board also provides an invaluable external
perspective because the other directors
have diverse experiences, and they have a
bit of distance from the day-to-day details
of the company. Intuitively, I expected
my board would help me make important
industry connections and supply me with
hands-on knowledge on all the companys
strategic issues. What I didnt fully grasp
initially was what an important role they
would play in pressure-testing my point of
view and how vital that would be to finding
the right balance between charging ahead
toward a goal and changing course.
I spend about 20% of my time preparing for
or meeting with my board members, both
formally and informally. That sounds like
a lot of time. Still, given the complexity of
building a biotech company, theres never
enough time to address each and every

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

issue in detail. To get the most out of my


board meetings, I have found it helpful to
write down two questions to be the focus of
a board meeting and to open the meeting
with those questions. Limiting it to just two
questions really forces you to prioritize and
helps to make sure the face-to-face board
time is spent on the right issues.

External engagement
I also spend a lot of time focused
externally, whether its a media interview
or at conferences or interacting with
current or potential investors or recruiting.
There are many different stakeholders
youre always communicating with
and listening to: patients, scientists,
physicians, regulators, employees,
investors They all pay attention, and all
are crucial to building a company.
While the actual time spent in external
encounters may be short, the preparation
time beforehand is considerable. CEOs
need to plan out and practice how they
want to communicate on a broad range
of issues, from strategic to financial to
scientific. To tell the story effectively,

The year in review

CEOs need to create a narrative that


explains how the business will unfold over
time and to adjust that narrative to be
accessible to many different audiences.
These worlds do often overlap. For
example, specialist biotech investors attend
most of the critical scientific conferences.
Those research meetings are an important
and different way to engage with the
investor base as well as connect with the
scientific community. They allow you to
show investors how the story continues to
advance, furthering relationships that can
support future fundraising efforts before
the company needs the money.

Capital strategy
Of course, I spend a lot of time on
fundraising. As the CEO of a biotech
start-up, Im always planning two or three
financing steps ahead, identifying how
to tap diverse pools of capital for my
companys needs.
I find it helpful to think in a multi-year
time frame to plan and to set goals. A
big piece of that planning relates to the
financial strategy. Even if the CEO thinks
two or three steps ahead, the reality
he or she responds to will be different
from the plan. By thinking through
multiple scenarios over several years,
the CEO has a better grasp of how much
capital will be required to reach the next
value-creating milestone.
Often a CEO has to decide whether its
better to raise more money now or later.
In flush times, raising money is tempting

because its easy. Still, the CEO must


understand why she is raising the money.
Will the capital allow the company to
pursue productive activities at a faster
pace, or is the additional money simply
more runway?
Both options are legitimate, but the CEO
should be able to articulate why she is
raising that specific amount of money
and how it fits in with the companys
overall capital strategy, particularly
alongside business development and
grant activities.
There is nothing about raising capital
that happens with the snap of the fingers.
Theres a long tail. At one of my previous
companies, we raised a Series C financing
in about four weeks, but that was only
possible because we spent two years
laying the groundwork to make it happen.
I dont fall into the camp that believes
CEOs should automatically raise additional
capital during boom times to secure

a longer financial runway. It is more


nuanced. Lets recognize that there is
no such thing as non-dilutive capital.
Business development is differently
dilutive from equity, but its still dilutive.
Therefore, if you take the wrong amount
of capital whether that is too much or
too little you potentially buy yourself a
problem down the line. A CEO needs to
think hard about the price at which he or
she will raise the equity relative to the
progress the company plans to make.
When it comes to fundraising, having
not one backup plan but multiple backup
plans is essential. You can create your
ideal plan, but then you need to find
out if it is possible in the real world.
The marketplace will tell you whether
the environment favors equity raises
or business development. With multiple
contingency plans in place, you are
able to adjust and continue to build the
companys value within the context of
what the real world is interested in doing.

Im always planning two or three financing steps


ahead, identifying how to tap diverse pools of
capital for my companys needs.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

11

The year in review

External perspective

The European biotechs


strategic decision: list
in Europe or the US?

Jrn Aldag

CEO, uniQure

Last year, approximately 12 European companies listed on the NASDAQ, while 19 biotechs listed on European
exchanges. That near parity suggests European companies now have broader access to the capital markets and
are not limited to listing on their in-country exchanges.
This is welcome news. But it also means
European biotechs have an important
strategic decision to make: should they
pursue a US listing or are there more
advantages to listing on an exchange
closer to home?
As both a board member and a CEO, I
have faced this choice. Regardless of
which option a European biotech company
chooses, it must thoroughly prepare for
the event. In the past, some European
biotechs have underestimated their IPO
readiness and the scrutiny that comes
with being a public company.
I believe it is possible for a European
biotech to list in Europe and assemble
a strong and loyal investor base that
provides the liquidity necessary for future
growth. Let me give you an example.
I am a board member of Molecular
Partners, a Zurich-based biotech that
listed on the Swiss SIX exchange in
December 2014. We were fortunate to
have good-quality, long-term investors
who want to be associated with Molecular
Partners and dig deep into its story. Our
listing was facilitated by what I call a local

12

hero image. Because investors looked


at Molecular Partners and its DARPin
technology as a home-grown product of
Switzerland and its universities, there was
traction and excitement about the listing.
In the case of Molecular Partners, seeking
a listing on the US markets wasnt a
strategic necessity. Depending on their
specific scientific and clinical stories,
other companies may find the US markets,
and their more sophisticated investor
base, a more suitable option.
European biotechs that do choose to list
in the US should not underestimate the
effort required to build name recognition,
however. Because they are not as wellknown as US private companies, the
management teams of European biotechs
must take pains to communicate their
stories clearly.
European platform biotech companies
may also have a harder time telling
their stories, since US investors tend to
view product-centric business models
as the path to value creation. Mastering
the switch from platform to product,
as Molecular Partners and my current

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

company uniQure have done, is therefore


essential if you are a European biotech
seeking a US listing.
UniQure, which was founded in 1998
(originally operating as Amsterdam
Molecular Therapeutics), is a gene therapy
company. Our lead product is Glybera,
approved in Europe for a rare genetic
disorder in which fat builds up in the
blood. We decided in the second half of
2013 that we wanted to list on the US
market, partly because of the access it
gave us to mature capital markets and the
robust, specialist investor community. We
completed our IPO in February 2014.

Forging ties
To build awareness for uniQure, I spent
seven weeks telling, and refining, our
story to US investors as part of the preIPO road show. In the process, we were
able to take advantage of how interwoven
the biotech and financial industries are in
the US as compared to Europe.
In the US, successful IPOs follow a
well-established path. As ideas emerge
from academia, companies are founded

The year in review

by highly regarded scientists on solid,


innovative technologies. Venture
capitalists bring in entrepreneurs who
can lead the nascent firm through funding
rounds, while building relationships with
crossover investors.

The US is the epicenter of the capital


markets. In order to access the wealth and
knowledge that are in such abundance in
the US, European biotechs will need to

educate themselves about the IPO process


and its stakeholders, and about how
they can best present their companies in
order to succeed.

The collective goal is to bring the company


to a particular value inflection point
that enables a robust mezzanine round
just prior to a public listing. By creating
direct ties with crossover investors,
the management team and its VCs lay
the groundwork for a successful IPO,
underpinned by a solid investor base.
This emphasis on forging ties with
crossover investors is less prevalent in
Europe, where biotechs are generally more
nave about the work and timelines required
for a successful IPO. When European
companies seeking a US listing are focused
on crossover investors, they may find that
they are viewed as an unknown entity.
Also, many European VCs believe that
dilution is to be avoided at all costs. But in
todays environment, it is critical to have
investment support from financiers that
understand the business after the IPO.
I dont mean to suggest that my company
has not benefited immeasurably from
European VCs. In todays world, however,
companies may have to accept dilution
in order to create a strong shareholder
base. Those are the table stakes when
preparing for an IPO.
I have had the benefit of spending a
lot of time in the US I know people in
the investor and pharma worlds, and I
understand the process of going public.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

13

Section heading
Financial
performance

Beyond borders 2015

Financial
performance

14

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Financial performance

Setting a new standard

The big picture


For the second year in a row, the biotechnology industry celebrated a standout performance, posting
revenue, R&D and net income results that strongly outpaced 2013. Results varied markedly by geography
across the four established biotechnology centers we track the US, Europe, Canada and Australia. In
contrast to 2013, when a select few US biotech bellwethers propelled the bulk of the industrys advances, a
wider spectrum of companies in both the US and Europe contributed to the healthy gains.
In particular, a group of newly minted US
commercial leaders, defined as biotech
companies with revenues of at least
US$500 million, illustrated that years of
hard work in the laboratory and the clinic
are being rewarded in the marketplace.
Revenues in 2014 grew 24% year over year,
eclipsing the robust 2013 performance
when top-line growth expanded by 10%.
Admittedly, much of the expansion was
driven by Gilead Sciences, which generated
US$24.9 billion of the total revenue as a
result of strong sales of its two hepatitis C
therapies, Sovaldi and Harvoni. Even after
adjusting for the Gilead effect, however,
the industry would have grown its top line
in 2014 by 12%.
Solid revenue numbers in 2014, coupled
with the years unprecedented M&A and
financing environments, fueled a return
to innovation as the surest path to longterm value creation. This linkage between
R&D and long-term value creation fueled
strong R&D spending for the second year
in a row and one of the greatest annual
increases in this metric since 2001.
Recall that in the aftermath of the financial
crisis, biotech companies were hesitant to
invest in R&D. In 2008, for the first time
in the industrys history, R&D spending

Growth in established biotechnology centers, 201314


(US$b)

2014

2013

% change

Public company data


Revenues

24%

123.1

99.0

R&D expense

35.4

29.4

20%

Net income

14.9

4.5

231%

Market capitalization

1,063.4

794.8

34%

Number of employees

183,610

168,010

9%

714

619

15%

Number of companies
Public companies
Numbers may appear inconsistent because of rounding.
Source: EY, Capital IQ and company financial statement data.

actually declined as companies slashed


costs and focused on surviving in a
resource-constrained environment. While
R&D growth inched upward from 2009 to
2012, it continued to trail top-line growth
during those years. In 2013, the cycle
reversed and growth in R&D spending
actually exceeded revenue growth by a
healthy four percentage points.
In 2014, biotech companies spent
US$35.4 billion on R&D. Although growth
in R&D spending didnt quite equal topline growth, that would have been a hard
bar to clear given the unprecedented

annual increase in biotech revenues in


2014. Importantly, the 20% uptick in
R&D spending substantially outpaced
the 12% revenue growth associated with
the industry after adjusting for Gileads
historic product launches.
R&D spending in 2014 increased in both
the US (22%) and Europe (14%) and
was driven by both the noncommercial
leaders and the industrys biggest players.
Indeed, on both sides of the Atlantic,
noncommercial leaders actually expanded
their R&D spending faster than the
commercial leader segment. This renewed

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

15

Financial performance

commitment to R&D was driven by


the years unprecedented financing
environment. (See accompanying
Financing, 2014 article.)

the aggregate net income in established


markets into the black for the first time
ever not just in the US, but globally.

Profitability for all


the right reasons
We first developed a profitability forecast
for the biotechnology industry in 2003,
when we predicted that the US industry
would reach aggregate profitability by
2008. That forecast was borne out when,
in 2008, the US industry eked out a small
profit of US$0.4 billion.
Profitability arrived in a big way in 2009,
but not for the reasons we anticipated.
In the wake of the global financial crisis,
biotech companies around the globe
took extreme measures to reduce their
cash burn by cutting headcount and
R&D. That emphasis on fiscal discipline
in an uncertain financing market moved

In 2014, net income reached a historic


high, ballooning 231% to US$14.9 billion.
Much of that net income increase (82%)
came courtesy of Gilead. Adjusting for
Gileads performance, global net income
in 2014 doubled, with positive increases in
three of the four biotechnology clusters:
the US, Europe and Australia. In contrast
to 2009-12, the uptick in aggregate
net income in 2014 was for all the right
reasons: strong sales of newly launched
products resulted in even stronger
increases in profits.
Consistent with the healthier net income
data are new figures from the EY Survival
Index, which tracks the amount of
cash biotech companies have on hand.
In the US, the picture in 2014 largely
remained the same as in the year prior.
In Europe, however, the number of biotech

companies in each of the categories


expanded, except those with less than one
year of cash on the books, where there
was an 11 percentage point drop. Those
data suggest the healthier climate that has
existed in the US may finally be spreading
to companies domiciled in Europe.
The number of public companies surged
15% in 2014, due to a record 94 IPOs,
which offset the attrition resulting
from acquisitions, delistings and other
developments. The US and European
totals grew by 58 and 32, respectively,
while Canada added three companies and
Australia added one.
In 2014, the strengthening US dollar
negatively affected global pharmaceutical
companies. Interestingly, an analysis of
the top 10 biotech companies by revenue
in both the US and Europe suggests
the impact of currency fluctuations
was negligible, reducing US revenues
by US$281 million (a loss of 0.3%) and

EY Survival Index, 201314


US

Europe

Canada

2014

2013

2014

2013

2014

2013

More than 5 years of cash

27%

26%

34%

32%

22%

24%

35 years of cash

12%

15%

11%

8%

8%

7%

23 years of cash

17%

12%

13%

10%

7%

5%

12 years of cash

22%

24%

16%

15%

25%

5%

Less than 1 year of cash

21%

23%

25%

36%

38%

59%

Chart shows percentage of biotech companies with each level of cash. Numbers may appear inconsistent because of rounding.
Source: EY, Capital IQ and company financial statement data.

16

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Financial performance

Revenues generated by US and European biotechnology commercial leaders fuel investor sentiment
US commercial leaders

EU commercial leaders

Other US public companies

Other EU public companies

Number of commercial leaders

140

30

120

Revenues (US$b)

100
20
80
15
60
10
40
5

20

Number of commercial leaders

25

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Commercial leaders are companies with revenues of at least US$500 million.


Source: EY and Capital IQ.

increasing the European top line by


US$26 million. This lack of effect was
most likely due to the fact that sales of
biotechnology products were more heavily
concentrated in the US.
These robust results helped sustain
investor sentiment throughout the year
and increased year-over-year market
capitalizations, fueling prolonged interest
in new company listings and the creation
of a burgeoning class of pre-commercial
biotech companies valued north of
US$1 billion. Indeed, for the first time
ever, the global biotech industry eclipsed
another important threshold: the industrys
total market cap exceeded US$1 trillion.

The uptick in aggregate net income


in 2014 was for all the right reasons:
strong sales of newly launched
products resulted in even stronger
increases in profits.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

17

Financial performance

A maturing industry

Top 10 changes in US market capitalizations, 200914


(US$m)

Company
Gilead Sciences

Market cap at
end of 2014

Market cap at
end of 2009

US$ change

CAGR
(200914)

$142,207

$38,940

$103,267

30%

Biogen

$80,163

$15,472

$64,691

39%

Amgen

$121,167

$57,257

$63,910

16%

Celgene

$89,343

$25,591

$63,752

28%

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

$41,471

$1,946

$39,525

84%

Alexion Pharmaceuticals

$36,689

$4,324

$32,365

53%

Illumina

$26,210

$3,838

$22,373

47%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

$28,574

$8,244

$20,330

28%

BioMarin Pharmaceutical

$13,331

$1,895

$11,436

48%

Incyte Corporation

$12,351

$1,080

$11,271

63%

CAGR: compound annual growth rate. Numbers may appear inconsistent due to rounding.
Source: EY and Capital IQ.

Top 10 changes in European market capitalizations, 200914


(US$m)

Company
Shire
Jazz Pharmaceuticals
Alkermes

Market cap at
end of 2014

Market cap at
end of 2009

US$ change

CAGR
(200914)

$41,681

$10,581

$31,099

32%

$9,904

$244

$9,660

110%

$8,563

$892

$7,672

57%

Novozymes

$13,014

$6,448

$6,565

15%

Actelion

$12,915

$6,367

$6,549

15%

BTG

$4,720

$721

$3,999

46%

Eurofins Scientific

$3,876

$777

$3,099

38%

Genmab

$3,336

$709

$2,627

36%

Meda

$5,255

$2,726

$2,529

14%

Swedish Orphan Biovitrum

$2,704

$196

$2,508

69%

CAGR: compound annual growth rate. Numbers may appear inconsistent due to rounding.
Source: EY and Capital IQ.

18

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Since much of the years strong


performance came on the back of a
booming stock market and a surge in
IPOs, we decided to measure just how
much the industry has matured since the
last big IPO bonanza of 2000:
Total revenues for US and European
biotechs increased an impressive
610% over the past 14 years.
Adjusting for inflation, the revenues
generated by the top 10 biotechs
in 2014 were 4.6 times greater
than the revenues generated
by the top 10 in 2000.
Despite several notable acquisitions,
the number of commercial leaders in
the US expanded from seven in 2000
to 19 in 2014, with average revenue
per commercial leader increasing from
US$1.6 billion to US$4.3 billion.
The cohort of European commercial
leaders increased from two in 2000
to nine in 2014, and the average
revenue per commercial leader shot
up US$1.2 billion to US$2.2 billion.
A side-by-side comparison of the top 10
US and European biotechs by revenues in
2000 relative to 2014 is a good reminder
of how much churn lies beneath the
aggregate statistics in this industry:
Only three of the top 10 US-based
biotechs of 2000 (Amgen, Bio-Rad
and IDEXX) remain in 2014s top 10.

Financial performance

Of the seven that exited the US


top 10 list, six were acquired in
megadeals worth at least US$10
billion, while one shrank in revenue.
In Europe, four of the top 10 revenue
generators from 2000 Shire,
Eurofins, Qiagen and BTG still
belong to the group in 2014.
Two of the remaining six European
biotechs Jazz Pharmaceuticals and
Alkermes are originally US-based
companies that redomiciled to
Ireland via acquisitions.

Biotech Index by 162 percentage points.


Pharmacyclics market cap grew 126%
to US$9.2 billion as a result of a full year
of product sales for its leukemia product
Imbruvica. In 2015, AbbVie acquired the
biotech for US$21 billion. NPS has also
been acquired: in January 2015, Shire
acquired the rare disease drug developer
for US$5.2 billion.

The strengthening public markets,


coupled with increasing competition
for commercial-stage assets, has made
for a sellers market. With big pharma
companies on the hunt for future revenue
growth, in 2014 they were forced to
pay hefty acquisition premiums relative
to what they would have paid just two
years ago. (For more, see accompanying
Deals, 2014 article.)

A rising tide lifts


all biotechs
Both industry leaders and emerging
companies earned phenomenal returns in
recent years and the pool of companies
with market valuations north of
US$500 million swelled from 80 in 2009
to 144 in 2014. During this same period,
the 20 US biotech companies with the
biggest market cap increases saw their
valuations surge by US$488 billion.
Our analysis shows that since 2009, three
of the fastest-growing companies have
been newly minted commercial leaders:
Pharmacyclics, NPS Pharmaceuticals and
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Indeed, an
analysis of the market cap data shows that
US biotech companies with valuations in
the US$2 billion-US$10 billion range grew
the fastest in 2014, outstripping the EY

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

19

Financial performance

Financial performance

United States

US biotechnology at a glance, 201314


(US$b)

2014

2013

% change

Public company data


29%

Revenues

93.1

72.1

R&D expense

28.8

23.6

22%

Net income

10.6

2.7

293%

Market capitalization
Number of employees

853.9

636.5

34%

110,090

99,850

10%

Financing
37.8

20.0

89%

Number of IPOs

63

41

54%

Capital raised by private companies

7.3

5.7

28%
17%

Capital raised by public companies

Number of companies
403

345

Private companies

Public companies

2,116

2,010

5%

Public and private companies

2,519

2,355

7%

Numbers may appear inconsistent because of rounding.


Source: EY, Capital IQ and company financial statement data.

In 2014, the US biotech industrys revenue


growth skyrocketed 29%, one of the
best showings since we began tracking
the metric and far exceeding the 13%
revenue growth of 2013. While 67% of
the companies we track had revenue, the
annual data were heavily influenced by the
performance of just one, Gilead Sciences.
As a result of strong sales of Sovaldi and
Harvoni, Gileads 2014 revenues more
than doubled. In all, sales of these two
products accounted for 60% of 2014s
US$21.0 billion revenue increase.
Adjusting for Gileads results, the
US industrys revenues would have
increased by 12% instead of 29%. In
addition, the 2014 IPO class contributed
about one percentage point to revenue
growth, meaning that the industrys
revenue growth would have been 11%

20

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

after adjusting for both Gilead and


the unusually large number of IPOs.
Conversely, Thermo Fisher Scientifics
acquisition of Life Technologies, which
had revenues of US$3.8 billion in 2013,
removed seven percentage points of
revenue growth. The year-over-year
revenue growth normalized for all three
factors is therefore an impressive 18%.
In addition to Gilead, three other
biotech stalwarts delivered revenue
increases greater than US$1 billion:
Biogen (US$2.8 billion), Amgen (US$1.4
billion) and Celgene (US$1.2 billion).
Tecfidera, Biogens oral agent to treat
multiple sclerosis, reached blockbuster
status in less than 12 months, helping
propel Biogens yearly revenues up 40%.
Regeneron, another biotech with notable
2014 revenue growth (34%), grew as a

Financial performance

result of both R&D collaborations and


strong sales of Eylea, a next-generation
anti-angiogenesis therapy for diseases
that can cause blindness.
Strong revenue and product stories
helped power a 34% increase in market
capitalization in 2014, and 58% of
companies saw their valuations increase
year over year. This healthy spike in
market valuations didnt quite equal the
74% increase observed in 2013. However,
given how rapidly valuations climbed
in 2013, a similar growth rate in 2014
was likely unrealistic. Normalizing for
the years IPOs, market cap would have
increased by 29% instead of 34%.

Investing in the future


The increase in market capitalization
drove a spike in the number of precommercial-stage companies with market
valuations greater than US$1 billion.
As of 31 December 2014, 26 companies
reached this threshold, led by Alnylam
Pharmaceuticals (US$7.5 billion), Puma
Biotechnology (US$5.7 billion) and Juno
Therapeutics (US$4.7 billion).
Compare those data to 2007, when
there were just three pre-commercial
billion-dollar companies and Vertex
Pharmaceuticals, Regeneron
Pharmaceuticals and Human Genome
Sciences were at the top of the leader
board. In a sign of how much the improved
financing climate has changed the US
biotechnology industry, 60% of this subset
of companies completed an IPO in either
2013 or 2014.

US precommercial companies with market cap >US$1b


Company

Market cap (US$m)

Lead
product status

Therapeutic
area

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

$7,462

Phase III

Multiple

Puma Biotechnology

$5,706

Phase III

Cancer

Juno Therapeutics*

$4,722

Phase I/II

Cancer

Agios Pharmaceuticals*

$4,104

Phase II

Cancer

Receptos*

$3,793

Phase III

Multiple

Intercept Pharmaceuticals

$3,332

Phase III

Hepatic

Acadia Pharmaceuticals

$3,168

Phase III

Multiple

bluebird bio*

$2,876

Phase III

Genetic

Kite Pharma*

$2,413

Phase II

Cancer

Clovis Oncology

$1,904

Phase III

Cancer

FibroGen*

$1,582

Phase III

Multiple

Neurocine Biosciences

$1,698

Registration

Multiple

Ophthotech*

$1,510

Phase III

Ophthalmic

Chimerix*

$1,468

Phase III

Infection

Auspex Pharmaceuticals*

$1,448

Phase III

Neurology

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical*

$1,400

Phase III

Multiple

Radius Health*

$1,281

Phase III

Musculoskeletal

Acceleron Pharma*

$1,257

Phase II/III

Cancer

Achillion Pharmaceuticals

$1,228

Phase II

Infection

Karyopharm Therapeutics*

$1,224

Phase II

Cancer

TetraPhase Pharmaceuticals*

$1,217

Phase III

Infection

Avalanche Biotechnologies*

$1,213

Phase II

Ophthalmic

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals

$1,196

Phase III

Cancer

NewLink Genetics

$1,111

Phase III

Cancer

OvaScience

$1,052

Development

Womens Health

Sangamo BioSciences

$1,040

Phase II

Multiple

*Company had an IPO in 2013 or 2014.


Market capitalizations as of 31 December 2014.
Source: EY and Capital IQ.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

21

Financial performance

As a result of stronger market valuations


and material gains in revenue growth, US
biotech companies were clearly optimistic
about investing in future products, and
overall R&D expenditures grew by 22%
relative to 2013. Nearly 70% of US biotech
companies increased their R&D spending
in 2014 slightly above the historical
average of about two-thirds of companies.
Overall, US commercial leaders increased
their R&D spending by 18%, including
Alexion Pharmaceuticals (62%) and
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (48%).
In contrast, Amgen, which in 2014 had
the largest R&D budget in the global
biotechnology industry, increased its
R&D spending by just 3%. Amgens more
modest increase isnt too surprising given
the company has come under pressure
from activist shareholders seeking
higher returns from R&D.

Along with the uptick in R&D spending,


a majority of US biotech companies
were confident enough of their financial
health to boost headcount in 2014.
Employee numbers increased 10%, as
80% of US commercial leaders and other
firms maintained or increased their
payrolls compared to 2013. One notable
exception was Amgen, which reduced
headcount by 10.5% as part of a larger
restructuring effort.
Normalizing for the large number of IPOs
in 2014, R&D growth would have been
15% instead of 22%. Note that this spend
still outpaces the top-line growth after
adjusting for Gileads revenues, albeit by
a much smaller margin. Most significantly,
net income would have grown at an even
faster pace, by more than 360%.

Cubist Pharmaceuticals, which Merck


& Co. announced it was acquiring in
December 2014 (the transaction closed
in January 2015), and Pharmacyclics and
Salix Pharmaceuticals, which were sold
in March 2015 to AbbVie and Valeant
Pharmaceuticals, respectively.
Roughly 70% of the US biotech sectors
total revenues came from the top five
commercial leaders: Gilead Sciences,
Amgen, Biogen, Celgene and Regeneron.
As mentioned, Gileads strong
performance in 2014 had a material effect
on the overall financial performance of the
US biotech sector. Gilead also passed the
US$20 billion revenue mark for the first
time and displaced Amgen as the sectors
top revenue generator.

Just as revenue growth was heavily


influenced by Gilead, so too was net
income, increasing nearly 300% from
2013 to 2014. Absent Gilead, the
aggregate net loss of US public biotechs
increased US$700 million. The higher
losses were due primarily to greater R&D
expenditures, including by newly public
companies, offset in part by increased
earnings by other commercial leaders.

Strong product sales helped push


Pharmacyclics (Imbruvica), Medivation
(Xtandi) and Incyte (Jakafi) into the realm
of the US commercial leaders in 2014.
The US commercial leaders remain a
dynamic group of companies, primarily
because several trends make acquisition
targets of many of these high-performing
biotechs. (See accompanying article,
Year in review.)

In light of these findings, it isnt surprising


that the bulk of the industrys growth
went to the commercial leaders. The
distribution was even more skewed this
year, thanks to Gileads outsized results.
However, noncommercial leaders fared
well too, particularly after normalizing
the results of the commercial leaders to
control for the Gilead effect. Adjusting
for Gileads results, the revenue growth
of the noncommercial leaders would have
outpaced the commercial leaders by two
percentage points.

Indeed, because of the aforementioned


increase in R&D expenditures, only 13%
of the US biotechs recorded a positive
bottom line. Another 183 publicly
disclosed a drop in net income (or an
increase in net loss) for the year.

Indeed, 2014 saw the loss of one


commercial leader as a result of an
acquisition when Life Technologies
was scooped up by Thermo Fisher
Scientific. Three other companies are
poised to leave the group in 2015:

Similarly, the noncommercial leaders


increased their R&D spending by 29%,
while the commercial leaders augmented
their research budgets by only 18%.
To some extent, the latter phenomenon
was driven by a slowdown in the growth

22

New commercial leaders

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Financial performance

US commercial leaders, 201014


2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Alexion

Alexion

Alexion

Alexion

Alexion

Amgen

Amgen

Amgen

Amgen

Amgen

Amylin

Amylin

Acquired by BMS

Biogen

Biogen

Biogen

Biogen

Biogen

Biomarin Pharmaceutical

Biomarin Pharmaceutical

Biomarin Pharmaceutical

Bio-Rad Laboratories

Bio-Rad Laboratories

Bio-Rad Laboratories

Bio-Rad Laboratories

Celgene

Celgene

Celgene

Celgene

Celgene

Cephalon

Acquired by Teva
Cubist

Cubist*

Organic growth
Bio-Rad Laboratories

Cubist

Cubist

Cubist

Gen-Probe

Gen-Probe

Acquired by Hologic

Genzyme

Acquired by Sanofi

Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences

IDEXX Laboratories

IDEXX Laboratories

IDEXX Laboratories

IDEXX Laboratories

IDEXX Laboratories

Illumina

Illumina

Illumina

Illumina

Illumina

Organic growth
Life Technologies

Life Technologies

Life Technologies

Life Technologies
Organic growth

Organic growth

Myriad Genetics
Organic growth

Organic growth
Organic growth

Salix Pharmaceuticals

Talecris Biotherapeutics

Acquired by Grifols

United Therapeutics

United Therapeutics

Organic growth

Incyte Corporation
Acquired by Thermo Fisher
Scientific
Medivation
Myriad Genetics
Pharmacyclics

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Salix Pharmaceuticals

Salix Pharmaceuticals

Salix Pharmaceuticals

The Medicines Company

The Medicines Company

The Medicines Company

United Therapeutics

United Therapeutics

United Therapeutics

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Organic growth

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Organic growth

ViroPharma

Decline in sales

Commercial leaders are companies with revenues of at least US$500 million.


*Merck & Co. announced the acquisition of Cubist in December 2014; the deal was finalized in January 2015.
Source: EY, Capital IQ and company financial statement data.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

23

Financial performance

of Amgens R&D spending. In addition,


the noncommercial leaders in 2014
grew at a much faster pace; their
increased confidence and flush coffers
resulted in their renewed focus on R&D
more generally.

Investors saw opportunities in US


biotech companies regardless of their
size, sending the market capitalizations
of the commercial leaders up 36% and
the noncommercial leaders 28%. These
increases were much lower than the year
prior, when the market capitalizations
of the commercial leaders and the other
companies increased 74% and 77%,
respectively. Concerns related to drug
pricing and already-high valuations were
two reasons for the more modest uptick.

When it came to profitability, however,


there was a stark divide between
the commercial leaders and other
companies. While the net income of
commercial leaders rose 82%, the
rest of the industry saw its net income
decline 26% as the result of increased
R&D spending and the cohort of new
companies added via IPOs.

Newly public companies contributed


US$32.3 billion to the market
valuation increase associated with the

noncommercial leaders. Normalizing


for the IPO class of 2014, the
noncommercial leaders experienced
an increase in market cap of just 9%.
The IPO class also had an impact on
other variables. Without the years IPOs,
noncommercial leaders revenues would
have increased by only 7%, while the
annual growth in R&D expenditures would
have been a much smaller 8%. The change
in net loss for the noncommercial leaders
would also have been much smaller
just US$200 million, an increase of 2%
instead of 26%.

US commercial leaders and other companies, 201314


(US$b)

2014

2013

US$ change

% change

Commercial leaders
Revenues

19.4

31%

81.3

61.8

R&D expense

17.2

14.6

2.6

18%

Net income (loss)

23.4

12.9

10.6

82%

Market capitalization

644.5

473.3

171.2

36%

Number of employees

71,540

65,785

5,755

9%

Revenues

11.8

10.3

1.5

14%

R&D expense

11.6

9.0

2.6

29%

Other companies

Net income (loss)

(12.8)

(10.1)

(2.7)

-26%

Market capitalization

209.4

163.3

46.1

28%

38,568

34,094

4,474

13%

Number of employees

Numbers may appear inconsistent because of rounding. Commercial leaders


are companies with revenues of at least US$500 million.
Source: EY, Capital IQ and company financial statement data.

24

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Investors saw
opportunities in US
biotech companies
regardless of their size.

Financial performance

Selected US public company financial highlights by geographic area, 2014


(US$m, % change over 2013)

Total assets

Cash and
equivalents
plus
short-term
investments

San Francisco Bay Area

80
19%

210,781
24%

32,610
95%

6,883
34%

9,477
4,335%

53,582
41%

20,238
100%

New England

75
29%

209,554
42%

16,517
27%

6,487
24%

75
-112%

36,129
27%

13,711
34%

San Diego

44
13%

60,027
31%

2,870
-53%

1,677
11%

(918)
107%

9,057
-40%

6,040
42%

New York State

34
17%

53,320
56%

3,706
31%

1,863
52%

(913)
780%

7,322
45%

2,659
42%

New Jersey

25
9%

100,907
27%

8,971
20%

2,973
10%

1,353
25%

21,534
31%

9,745
38%

Mid-Atlantic

20
5%

16,026
19%

2,277
32%

808
9%

(8)
-91%

4,885
12%

2,111
14%

Southeast

19
6%

6,909
30%

335
26%

239
15%

(404)
17%

2,064
13%

644
29%

Los Angeles/Orange County

19
19%

134,530
45%

20,335
7%

4,965
6%

4,438
-3%

70,514
5%

28,170
41%

Pacific Northwest

16
33%

12,683
78%

537
-19%

858
62%

(852)
23%

2,061
53%

1,287
49%

Pennsylvania/Delaware Valley

12
20%

15,322
13%

899
-25%

575
15%

(520)
38%

2,448
-25%

1,059
-6%

North Carolina

13
18%

11,775
47%

1,247
31%

489
47%

(804)
397%

5,135
45%

1,377
-17%

12
0%

3,928
49%

67
-40%

193
-2%

(306)
-28%

773
-3%

631
26%

Texas

9
29%

3,352
38%

254
-2%

237
36%

(299)
177%

1,257
71%

833
137%

Colorado

7
17%

2,809
-7%

62
-11%

226
51%

(311)
69%

1,043
24%

685
45%

Utah

4
0%

2,793
39%

778
27%

85
38%

151
24%

867
1%

228
-46%

Other

14
0%

9,145
16%

1,585
38%

273
34%

458
64%

3,425
42%

1,438
59%

Total

403
17%

853,862
34%

93,050
29%

28,831
22%

10,618
293%

222,095
17%

90,857
46%

Region

Number
of public
companies

Midwest

Market
capitalization

Revenue

R&D

Net income
(loss)

Market capitalization as of 31 December 2014. Percent changes refer to change over December 2013. Numbers may appear inconsistent because of rounding.
New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont; Mid-Atlantic: Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia; Mid-West: Illinois,
Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin; Southeast: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee, South Carolina; Pacific Northwest: Oregon, Washington
Source: EY, Capital IQ and company financial statement data.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

25

Financial performance

In both the US and Europe, biotech stocks outperformed the broader indices,
led by mid-sized biotechs in the US and large firms in Europe.
US market capitalization relative to leading indices
EY US biotech industry
+200%

Dow Jones Industrial Average

Pharma industry US

2013

Russell 3000

NASDAQ Composite

2014

EY US medtech industry
2015

+150%

+100%

+50%

0%

-50%

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Chart includes companies that were active on 31 March 2015.
Source: EY and Capital IQ.

US market capitalization by company size


EY US biotech industry
+400%

Large-cap (>US$10b)

Mid-cap (US$2bUS$10b)

2013

Small-cap (US$200mUS$2b)
2014

Micro-cap (<US$200m)
2015

+350%
+300%
+250%
+200%
+150%
+100%
+50%
0%
-50%

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Chart includes companies that were active on 31 March 2015.
Source: EY and Capital IQ.

26

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Financial performance

European market capitalization relative to leading indices


EY European biotech industry
+150%

CAC-40

DAX

FTSE 100

Pharma industry EU

2013

EY EU medtech industry

2014

2015

+100%

+50%

0%

-50%

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Chart includes companies that were active on 31 March 2015.
Source: EY and Capital IQ.

European market capitalization by company size


EY European biotech industry
+200%

Large-cap (>US$10b)

Mid-cap (US$2bUS$10b)

2013

Small-cap (US$200mUS$2b)

2014

Micro-cap (<US$200m)

2015

+150%
+100%
+50%
0%
-50%

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Chart includes companies that were active on 31 March 2015.
Source: EY and Capital IQ.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

27

Financial performance

Financial performance

Europe

European biotechnology at a glance, 201314


(US$m)

2014

2013

% change

Public company data


Revenues
R&D expense

23,992

20,915

15%

5,576

4,910

14%

3,255

1,087

199%

Market capitalization

162,149

114,699

41%

Number of employees

58,770

54,440

8%

7,182

4,384

64%

31

288%

2,068

1,569

32%

Net income (loss)

Financing
Capital raised by public companies
Number of IPOs
Capital raised by private companies
Number of companies
196

164

20%

Private companies

1,940

1,987

-2%

Public and private companies

2,136

2,151

-1%

Public companies

Numbers may appear inconsistent because of rounding.


Source: EY, Capital IQ and company financial statement data.

In 2014, the European trend lines followed


those in the US, albeit the trajectories for
each of the key performance metrics did
not reach the same heights.
European biotech companies saw their
revenue growth rebound strongly in 2014,
as top-line sales expanded 15%, compared
to the modest 3% uptick of 2013. In a
sign of a healthier financial picture, 77%
of European biotechs generated some
revenue and 69% increased their top
lines year over year. Those results are
comparable to the revenue metrics posted
by US biotech companies.
Shire solidified its standing as the
leading European biotech, posting the
years largest revenue increase (roughly
US$1.1 billion). Shires revenues were

28

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

definitely bolstered by its acquisition


of ViroPharma and that companys
hereditary angioedema product, Cinryze.
In addition to Shire, Jazz Pharmaceuticals,
which relocated to Ireland in 2012, saw
strong revenue growth in 2014, thanks
to solid sales for its excessive daytime
sleepiness product Xyrem.
R&D spending by European biotechs
increased 14% in 2014, reaching
US$5.6 billion. That increase is a sharp
contrast to 2013, when R&D spending
actually declined 4%. Fifty-seven percent
of Europes biotechs increased their
R&D expenditures in 2014, suggesting
management teams were feeling more
confident about their access to capital
and therefore more willing to invest
in future innovations. While that is a

Financial performance

healthy sign, it is still substantially below


the 70% of US biotechs that upped their
R&D expenditures in 2014. Alkermes
and Jazz contributed the most to the
growth in R&D spending, allocating
more than US$200 million combined to
pipeline development. Other European
stalwarts, however, pulled back from R&D
investments in 2014, including Shire,
which downsized its R&D expenditures by
6% as the result of either termination or
completion of late-stage clinical programs.
As in the US, European biotech companies
aggregate net income increased by a
healthy percentage, spiking 199% to
US$3.3 billion. This percentage increase
didnt match the steep growth rate of
2013, when net income soared by 462%.
It was also heavily influenced by the
US$1.6 billion breakup fee Shire received
from AbbVie when the proposed merger
between the two companies was called off
in October 2014.
Adjusting for this one-time event,
European biotech companies actually
added US$533 million in aggregate net
income in 2014, an annual increase of
52%. This increase was driven largely by
strong performances by Medivir, Actelion
and Amarin, which each increased their
net income by at least US$90 million.
Indeed, only 45% of European biotechs
boosted their net income in 2014,
compared to 50% in 2013. Among those
with sizeable drops in net income were
Meda and Jazz Pharmaceuticals, while
Alkermes reported a net loss. Medas

net income fell as a result of one-time


restructuring charges related to its
Rottapharm acquisition, while the bottom
lines of both Jazz and Alkermes were
affected by the aforementioned increases
in their R&D budgets.

A brightening climate

The market capitalizations of European


biotech companies increased strongly
for the second straight year amid
positive investor sentiment. Indeed,
market caps of European companies
actually increased seven percentage
points more than those in the US in
2014. A catch-up phenomenon was
at least partly responsible, given that
European biotech market valuations
didnt increase as dramatically in 2013
as those of US biotechs, there was more
room for a run-up in 2014. In all, 59% of
European biotechs saw their market caps
increase in 2014.

2014 was another solid year for European


commercial leaders, which reported
greater growth across all the key
performance indicators we track.

Another welcome change from past


years was the uptick in IPOs. In 2014, 31
European biotech companies debuted on
public exchanges (including exchanges
located in the US). As a result, the number
of European public biotech companies
swelled 20%. These new listings had a
slight effect on Europes overall financial
performance, contributing 1% to the
continents revenue growth and 39%
to the upsurge in R&D expenditures.
Normalizing for the 2014 IPO class,
aggregate net income for European
biotechs would have increased by 232%
instead of 199%, since many of these IPO
companies were in net loss positions, as is
normal for newly public companies.

A subsector analysis of the European


biotech sector provides additional data
suggesting a brightening climate for
biotechs in that part of the world.

There were no changes to the list of


European commercial leaders from 2013
to 2014, as Shire remained independent
after AbbVie called off its proposed
acquisition of Europes largest biotech.
This stability is welcome news. Anchored
by a strong group of rapidly growing
commercial-stage companies, it will be
easier for the European biotech sector to
sustain positive investor sentiment.
In 2014, all nine European commercial
leaders increased their revenues year
over year, including five by double digits.
Indeed, the European commercial leaders
were responsible for 77% of the annual
revenue growth in 2014.
More importantly, the financial
performance of Europes noncommercial
leaders surged in 2014, keeping pace
with
and in terms of revenue and R&D,
surpassing
the commercial leaders.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

29

Financial performance

EU commercial leaders, 201014


2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Actelion

Actelion

Actelion

Actelion

Elan Corporation

Elan Corporation

Elan Corporation

Acquired by Perrigo

Eurofins Scientific

Eurofins Scientific

Ipsen

Ipsen

Organic growth and relocation from US to Ireland


Eurofins Scientific

Organic growth and relocation from US to Ireland

Actelion

Alkermes

Alkermes

Eurofins Scientific

Eurofins Scientific

Ipsen

Ipsen

Ipsen

Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Meda

Meda

Meda

Meda

Meda

Novozymes

Novozymes

Novozymes

Novozymes

Novozymes

QIAGEN

QIAGEN

QIAGEN

QIAGEN

QIAGEN

Shire

Shire

Shire

Shire

Shire

Commercial leaders are companies with revenues of at least US$500 million.


Source: EY, Capital IQ and company financial statement data.

Revenues at smaller European biotech


companies increased by US$717 million,
an 18% increase that was fueled by top-line
sales growth in excess of US$100 million
at both Medivir and BTG.
Noncommercial leaders also increased
their R&D expenditures by a total of
US$401 million, far surpassing the
US$256 million increase associated with
the commercial leaders. It is not unusual
to see small companies outperform larger
players on a percentage basis since they
are growing off a smaller base.
However, on an absolute dollar basis, the
growth in R&D expenditures in 2014 for
small European biotechs was a striking
turnaround from 2013, when R&D budgets
fell 9%. Nearly 68% of the annual growth
in R&D spend by Europes smaller biotech
players came courtesy of the 31 newly
public companies.

30

European commercial leaders and other companies, 201314


(US$m)

2014

2013

US$ change

% change

Commercial leaders
19,397

17,046

2,351

R&D expense

3,059

2,802

256

9%

Net income (loss)

5,016

2,278

2,738

120%

Revenues

14%

Market capitalization

111,265

77,918

33,348

43%

Number of employees

44,757

42,147

2,610

6%

Revenues

4,605

3,888

717

18%

R&D expense

2,529

2,128

401

19%

(1,750)

(1,171)

(579)

-49%

Market capitalization

50,931

36,850

14,081

38%

Number of employees

14,027

12,316

1,711

14%

Other companies

Net income (loss)

Numbers may appear inconsistent because of rounding. Commercial leaders


are companies with revenues of at least US$500 million.
Source: EY, Capital IQ and company financial statement data.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Financial performance

Financial performance

Australia

Australian biotechnology at a glance, 201314


(US$m)

2014

2013

% change

Public company data


Revenues

9%

5,794

5,318

681

650

5%

1,066

957

11%

Market capitalization

42,177

38,068

11%

Number of employees

13,370

12,380

8%

52

51

2%

R&D expense
Net income

Number of companies
Public companies
Numbers may appear inconsistent because of rounding.
Source: EY, Capital IQ and company financial statement data.

With the exception of its revenues,


the Australian biotech cluster grew at
a slower pace in 2014 than the year
before. R&D expenditures increased
5% in 2014, compared to 8% growth in
2013; aggregate net incomes were up
11%, compared to 25% in 2013. Market
valuations and employee headcounts
expanded 11% and 8%, respectively. In
2013, market valuations increased 15% as
Australian biotech companies bolstered
their employee base by 12%.
That said, revenues did expand 9% from
2013 to 2014 to US$5.8 billion. CSL,
Australias largest biotech company,
generated 92% of the years total
revenues and was responsible for 68% of
the sectors R&D expenditures.
Apart from acting as Australias
biotech anchor, CSL aims to bolster
its multinational presence. As such,
2014 was a building year, both in

terms of its geographic footprint and


its product portfolio. As of January
2015, both the FDA and the European
Medicines Association had approved
more flexible dosing regimens of the
companys Hizentra, to treat primary
immunodeficiency disease.The company
also announced its first major acquisition
in a decade: the purchase of Novartis
influenza vaccine business. This deal
will likely have an impact on CSLs 2016
financial performance; its management
team estimates integration costs
associated with the acquisition could be as
much as US$100 million.
Outside of CSL, the other 51 public
Australian biotech companies
reported combined 2014 revenues of
US$459 million, a year-over-year increase
of 25%. That represents the second
year in a row that Australias smaller
biotech companies have seen revenue
growth above 20%.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

31

Financial performance

Financial performance

Canada

Canadian biotechnology at a glance, 201314


(US$m)

2014

2013

% change

Public company data


-58%

Revenues

260

623

R&D expense

299

310

-4%

Net income (loss)

(87)

(227)

62%

Market capitalization

5,227

5,601

-7%

Number of employees

1,380

1,340

3%

Number of companies
Public companies

63

59

7%

Private companies

172

181

-5%

Public and private companies

235

240

-2%

Numbers may appear inconsistent because of rounding.


Source: EY, Capital IQ and company financial statement data.

While the Canadian biotechnology industry


has continued to face challenges, one
bright spot was the years financing
data. In 2014, financing totals exceeded
US$1 billion, a threshold that hasnt been
cleared since 2007. Two IPOs contributed
US$85 million to this total.
On the flip side, Canadian biotechs
reported 2014 revenues of just
US$260 million. This contraction was
driven by numerous acquisitions and a
dearth of new public listings. The average
revenue per public company in Canada is
now US$4 million.
The reasons for this decline have been well
documented in prior issues of EYs biotech
reports. With venture funding limited,
Canadian companies have often gone
public prematurely and then struggled
to raise the subsequent rounds of capital
needed for growth. In recent years,
many of Canadas leading companies
were acquired by foreign companies,
winnowing the local sectors stable base.

32

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

In 2014, the acquisition of two of the largest


Canadian biotechs, Paladin Labs (by Endo
International) and Cangene (by Emergent
BioSolutions), had a pronounced impact
on the sectors financial performance.
Revenues declined 58% in 2014, compared
to a 3% increase the year prior, while R&D
expenditures sank 4%. Adjusting for these
two acquisitions, 2014 revenue would have
increased by 15%, while aggregate R&D
spending would have increased 10%. Cardiome
Pharma, one of the countrys largest
remaining public biotech, saw its revenues
grow 567% to US$30 million in 2014.
Meantime, the net loss of the Canadian sector
declined by 62% in 2014. Adjusting for the
Paladin Labs and Cangene acquisitions, the
net loss would have improved another seven
percentage points.
Driven largely by the two large acquisitions,
the sectors market capitalization fell 7% in
2014. This contrasts with 2013, when market
capitalization increased 36%, well ahead
of the 8% market cap growth in the overall
Canadian market.

Section
Financing
heading

Beyond borders 2015

Financing

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

33

Financing

Financing the future

The big picture


What a year. In 2014, the financing climate seemed a world away from the doom and gloom of just a few
years ago. Fundraising totals in 2014 broke all-time records in both the US and Europe, resulting in a total
of US$54.3 billion raised, a 72% increase over 2013, which itself had been a remarkably strong year.
Fundraising in 2014 handily beat capital raised in 2000 a year in which investor enthusiasm about the
sequencing of the human genome propelled fundraising to heights many thought we would never see again.
The strong 2014 performance was driven
by growth in all key funding categories:
venture capital, IPOs, follow-on equity
offerings and debt. IPOs garnered the
biggest headlines in 2014, as US and
European biotechs raised US$6.8 billion,
an astonishing 93% increase over 2013s
strong performance. Remarkably, this
was only the second-highest total in the
industrys history. IPO fundraising in 2000
had been about US$1 billion higher.

expressed new confidence in the sector.


Strong product launches by the industrys
bellwethers helped investors shake off
apprehensions regarding regulatory risks
and health care reforms. Gilead Sciences
Sovaldi became the biggest product launch
ever all the more remarkable in that it
came from a biotech company rather than
a member of big pharma. Other important
launches such as Biogens Tecfidera also
exceeded market expectations.

As in 2013, 2014s solid IPO and follow-on


financings were driven by the continuing
bull market for biotech stocks, as investors

An FDA that is more willing to balance


product access against risk, especially
in areas of high unmet need, also helped

in 2014. FDA programs designed to get


differentiated products to market via
accelerated pathways began to bear fruit,
contributing to near-record numbers of
approvals. Of the 41 approvals recorded
in 2014, more than three-quarters were
on first filings. Finally, the expansionary
monetary policies of most central banks
particularly the U.S. Federal Reserve
played a big role as investors have shown
a willingness to accept more risk in the
pursuit of returns.

Capital raised in the US and Europe, 200014


(US$m)

2000
IPOs

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

7,838

548

593

484

2,068

1,692

2,091

2,262

119

840

1,325

863

880

3,526

6,802

13,415

2,233

1,763

4,904

6,857

6,604

9,286

8,889

4,098

9,226

5,955

5,869

7,616

9,310

13,838

Debt

1,529

1,907

4,472

7,296

6,349

6,030

9,662

10,575

5,776

5,614

12,079

20,587

14,040

12,831

26,049

Venture

4,121

3,694

3,504

4,073

5,277

5,495

6,044

7,930

5,987

5,809

5,805

5,678

5,518

5,948

7,630

26,903

8,382

10,332

16,757

20,551

19,821

27,083

29,657

15,980

21,491

25,163

32,998

28,055

31,614

54,319

Follow-on
and other

Total

Numbers may appear inconsistent because of rounding. Convertible debt instruments included in debt.
Source: EY, BioCentury, Canadian Biotech News, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

34

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Financing

IPO and follow-on financings have been


driven by the support of generalist
investors trying to capture some of the
sectors growth in market capitalization,
and the companies that listed in 2013 and
2014 were, on average, more mature than
new listings in prior IPO windows. Unlike
the firms that went public in the late
1990s and early 2000s, most members
of the IPO class of the last two years (81%)
had lead candidates in Phase II or later,
and the majority have retained the rights
to their products rather than out-licensing
them to a larger partner.
If the IPO market continued to garner the
headlines for biotech, an under-appreciated
yet significant development was the
growing rush of venture financing. Between
2008 and 2013, despite many doomsday
proclamations to the contrary, venture
capital had been remarkably stable.
Through the turmoil of the global financial
crisis and the subsequent recovery, venture
capital totals averaged US$5.8 billion,
never falling below US$5.5 billion or
rising above US$5.9 billion. In 2014, that
pattern was broken, as US and European
companies raised US$7.6 billion, a 28%
increase and just shy of the all-time record
of US$7.9 billion raised in 2007.
The low interest rate environment of the
last several years has led to a surge in debt
financing. That pattern continued in 2014,
as debt totals soared to US$26.0 billion,
more than double the 2003-13 average.
To control for the skewing effect of these
large debt financings, we also analyzed
equity financing totals (i.e., fundraising

Innovation capital in the US and Europe, 200014


Innovation capital

Commercial leaders

60

50

Capital raised (US$b)

A venture financing rush

40

30

20

10

00

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

Innovation capital is the amount of equity capital raised by companies


with revenues of less than US$500 million.
Source: EY, BioCentury, Canadian Biotech News, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

Between them, five large companies


closed six debt transactions of more
than US$1 billion: Amgen, Celgene,
Gilead, Ikaria and Illumina. Gileads two
offerings one in March and one in
November 2014, each for US$4 billion
were to be used to repay existing
debt and fund working capital and
share repurchases.

inspired us to create a measure we call


innovation capital the funds raised
by companies with revenues less than
US$500 million. Biotech commercial
leaders (entities with revenues in excess
of US$500 million) are self-sustaining,
cash-flow-positive entities that do not
depend on fundraising to finance R&D.
Indeed, the large debt financings of
recent years have often been used for
other purposes such as stock buybacks
and acquisitions. We have therefore been
measuring innovation capital to gauge the
situation for smaller companies that need
fundraising to sustain R&D and innovation.

Starting in 2008, the challenging funding


environment for small companies and
the spike in debt financing by large firms

What we found was telling. In the


four years before the financial crisis
struck, innovation capital had averaged

excluding debt). In 2014, these totals


reached an all-time high, as companies
raised US$28.3 billion in non-debt
capital, beating the previous high of
US$25.4 billion achieved in 2000.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

35

Financing

US and European earlystage venture investment, 200014


Number of deals

2.0

200

1.6

160

1.2

120

0.8

80

0.4

40

0.0

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Number of deals

Capital raised (US$b)

Capital raised

Early-stage investments include seed, first and second venture rounds.


Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

US$15.1 billion a year. Between 2008 and


2012, the average fell to US$12.5 billion
a year. Even as the overall fundraising
climate recovered on the back of soaring
debt financings by commercial leaders, the
amount of innovation capital remained flat.
That changed starting in 2013,
when innovation capital shot up to
US$18.6 billion, and 2014, when it reached
a new high of US$27.6 billion. This bodes
well for investment in research pipelines
and the overall health of the sector.
In another encouraging sign for biotech
innovation, early rounds generated more
funding than they had in at least a decade
US$1.8 billion even though the number

36

of deals dropped slightly from 182 to 177,


year over year. The median deal value for
early-stage firms US$10 million was
also the highest since 2006.
Some early rounds were truly remarkable
in size. In fact, 2014 was the first year
since we began tracking the biotech sector
28 years ago in which there were four
early-stage US biotech venture rounds of
more than US$50 million. Philadelphiabased Spark Therapeutics, founded in
2013, raised US$72.8 million to pursue
gene therapies. Seattle-based Juno
Therapeutics added US$190 million to
the US$120 million it raised in December
2013 (and then followed that up with
one of the years largest IPOs) to help it

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

achieve its goal of developing chimeric


antigen receptor therapy (CAR-T) to help
individual patients immune-system cells
attack cancer cells. And Human Longevity,
the latest company founded by genomics
pioneer Craig Venter, raised US$70 million
to create an enormous sequencing project
aimed at finding cell-based treatments for
extending healthy human life-spans.
In addition, the years largest European
first round indeed, one of the largest
in that sectors history went to UKbased Adaptimmune, which received
US$104 million from a consortium
led by venture capital firm New
Enterprise Associates. Spun off from
the University of Oxford in 2008,

Financing

Adaptimmune is developing T-cells to treat


several types of cancer. The company also
entered into a strategic partnership with
GlaxoSmithKline in June 2014.
European early-stage companies were
more likely than their US counterparts to
benefit from this trend 36% of European
venture capital came in the form of Series A
or B funding, as opposed to 23% in the US.

A rising tide

data from Thomson Reuters) showing that


one-third of biotech firms go public within
five years of their initial investment a
higher proportion than for software or
other sectors also supports biotech
investment prospects. This is a stark
reversal from just a few years ago, when
the average time to exit had extended to
over eight years (or almost as long as the
legal life of a venture capital fund).
However, the increase in early-stage
funding was not driven by a shift in
investor focus. Instead, it was a case
of the proverbial rising tide lifting all
boats. The share of venture capital going
toward early rounds has remained fairly
static over time.

The present IPO boom has given venture


capitalists the opportunity to realize
returns and restock their coffers, the
better to support a new generation of
companies. Recent research (based on

A record-breaking 94 US and European


biotech companies went public in 2014,
raising US$6.8 billion, for an average of
US$72 million per IPO. The years 94 IPOs
thoroughly shattered the previous record
of 79 in 2000. However, the class of 2000
remained ahead in terms of the amount of
capital raised (US$7.8 billion).
However, the entire 2013-14 IPO
window in which 143 companies went
public, raising US$10.3 billion, more than
the previous eight years combined is
the largest window in the industrys
history. This is particularly remarkable
because the window did not open in
Europe until early 2014.

US and European venture investment in early stage private companies holds steady
Seed and first rounds

All later rounds

Percentage of venture dollars invested

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

37

Financing

The average IPO size was US$72 million,


continuing the trend set in 2013, but 21
companies raised over US$100 million.
Although only four of the 21 were
European companies, two were in the
global top three: UK-based Circassia
Pharmaceuticals and Forward Pharma
of Denmark. The IPOs of Circassia and
US-based Juno Therapeutics were also
the third- and fourth-largest biotech
IPOs of all time.

US and European biotechnology IPO pricing, 201014


Above range

Below range

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

The wide-open IPO window meant not


only that record numbers of companies
went public, but also that they did so
at favorable terms. (As discussed later,
this was in part because of strong postIPO market valuations and growth.)
As in 2013, roughly 60% of companies
going public did so within or above their
anticipated price ranges well above the
three-year average for 2010-12 of 36%.

38

Within range

100%

Percentage of IPOs

Of course, investor sentiment in 2014


was fundamentally different from
2000. The window in 2000 was driven
by undifferentiated enthusiasm over
the sequencing of the human genome
and the possibilities to come from that
breakthrough. In 2014, however, the
window was much more about real
market performance than scientific
promise. The window resulted from
the strong performance of biotechs
commercial leaders and important
clinical results from companies large
and small in some sense, the payoff
from the human genome project over
a decade later.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

A record-breaking 94 US and European


biotech companies went public in 2014,
raising US$6.8 billion, for an average of
US$72 million per IPO.

Financing

Financing

US biotechnology financings, 200014


Debt

United States

Follow-on and other

IPOs

Venture

50

Capital rasied (US$b)

40

30

20

10

00

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

US biotechnology recorded a
colossal year in 2014, setting a new
all-time record in total capital raised
(US$45.1 billion) as well as funds raised
through IPOs (US$4.9 billion) and debt
(US$23.3 billion). The amounts raised
in the two other financing categories
represented the second-highest totals
in the industrys history: venture capital
generated US$5.6 billion (second to
the US$6.1 billion raised in 2007) and
follow-on financing raised US$10.7 billion
(behind the almost US$13 billion raised
in 2000).
The sectors strong overall performance
was underpinned by successful launches
of well-differentiated products that could

attract premium prices, supported by a


more accommodating FDA, especially in
areas of high unmet need. Meanwhile, big
pharmas increasing need to fill its growth
gap also drew investors in anticipation of
acquisitions of biotech assets at significant
premiums, such as Roches US$8.3 billion
purchase of InterMune and Merck & Co.s
two multibillion-dollar offers, for Cubist
Pharmaceuticals (US$9.5 billion) and
Idenix Pharmaceuticals (US$3.9 billion).
(See accompanying Deals, 2014 article.)
As a result, generalist investors came
back to biotech, the best-performing
sector in the market for the last two years,
driving up equity values and pumping
much-needed capital into the sector.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

39

Financing

Driven in part by the resurgent IPO


and follow-on financing markets,
2014 marked the highest amount of
innovation capital ever raised in the
sector US$21.1 billion, a 40% increase
over 2013. This is almost double the
10-year average of US$10.9 billion and
well ahead of the previous 10-year high
of US$15.1 billion set in 2013.
The two consecutive years of growth
in innovation capital bodes well for
the resilience of the biotech industry.
It gives smaller companies some of
which will develop to become the future
growth engines of the sector more
confidence to invest in R&D, more
opportunity to expand their pipelines
and more bargaining power with larger
companies, in both alliances and M&A.
Meanwhile, the amount of money raised
by commercial leaders grew by an
astonishing 127%, to US$23.9 billion.
This included six debt offerings of at
least US$1 billion. Gilead alone had two
US$4 billion offerings, one in March and
one in November of 2014.

Quarterly breakdown of US biotechnology financings (US$m), 2014


Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Total

IPOs

$1,739
(23)

$1,055
(17)

$958
(13)

$1,193
(10)

$4,946
(63)

Follow-on and other

$4,651
(83)

$2,047
(47)

$1,081
(27)

$2,943
(49)

$10,722
(206)

Debt

$6,711
(31)

$9,734
(44)

$2,031
(40)

$5,325
(26)

$23,801
(141)

Venture

$1,333
(95)

$1,882
(115)

$1,059
(103)

$1,325
(70)

$5,600
(383)

$14,434
(232)

$14,719
(223)

$5,130
(183)

$10,786
(155)

$45,069
(793)

Total

Figures in parentheses are number of financings. Numbers may appear inconsistent because of rounding.
Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

Innovation capital in the US, 200014


Innovation capital

Capital raised by commercial leaders

50

40
Capital raised (US$b)

Boom times for


innovation capital

30

20

10

00

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

Innovation capital is the amount of equity capital raised by companies


with revenues of less than US$500 million.
Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

40

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

11

12

13

14

Financing

Innovation capital raised by leading US regions, 2014


Los Angeles/Orange County

Midwest

New England

New Jersey

New York State

Pacific Northwest

San Diego

San Francisco Bay Area

Innovation capital raised (US$b)

0
0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1,800

Venture capital raised (US$m)


Size of bubbles shows relative number of financings per region. Innovation capital is the amount
of equity capital raised by companies with revenues of less than US$500 million.
Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

Unsurprisingly, New England (which raised


US$4.9 billion in innovation capital), the
San Francisco Bay Area (US$4.4 billion)
and San Diego (US$3.1 billion) continued
to be the nations leading biotech venture
and innovation capital hotspots in 2014.
New England led in total number of
innovation capital deals (131) and venture
capital deals (80). The Bay Area attracted
the most venture capital (US$1.4 billion),
followed by New England (US$1.3 billion)
and San Diego (US$654 million) together,

these three regions attracted 61% of all


US venture investment in 2014. The Bay
Area (US$1.3 billion), New England
(US$1.1 billion) and the Pacific Northwest
(US$621 million), with significant tailwinds
from Juno Therapeutics, were the leaders
in IPO dollars.
From 2013 to 2014, San Diego continued
to move up the innovation capital league
table. The region attracted US$1.6 billion
more in innovation capital in 2014 than

it did the previous year. Follow-on public


offerings were up almost US$1.2 billion,
which included seven rounds of at least
US$100 million. Receptos alone raised
US$619 million.
If commercial leaders were added to the
figures, San Francisco Bay Area, New
England and San Diego would account for
56% of the total amount of capital raised
in the US during 2014.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

41

Financing

The resurgence of US venture capital


While US venture capital held steady in
the immediate aftermath of the financial
crisis, we expected to see a drop in
funding a few years down the road,
because VCs were raising less money from
limited partners, and there is lag between
funds raised and funds disbursed by
venture funds.
But the proverbial other shoe never
dropped. Instead, venture investment
remained remarkably consistent from
2008 through 2013.

In 2014, however, the resurgent IPO


market and the prospect of M&A exits
at higher valuations led to an upsurge
in funds raised by life sciences venture
capital firms, as well as their investment
in the sector. The US$5.6 billion invested
in 2014 was 27% higher than the previous
10-year average of US$4.4 billion. In
2014, average and median deal sizes of
venture financings also reached their
highest totals since 2007.

There was one record that didnt fall in


2014: the largest venture round. On 4
January 2015, Moderna Therapeutics
closed a US$450 million financing,
the largest ever for a privately held
biotechnology company.
The average deal size was skewed by nine
deals of more than US$70 million (against
just three of that size in 2013), four of
which tipped the US$100 million mark.

US biopharmaceutical venture capital rebounds to its highest levels since the financial crisis
Total amount raised

Average deal size

18

15

12

4
9
3
6

1
0

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

42

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Average deal size (US$m)

Capital raised (US$b)

Financing

Top US venture financings, 2014


Amount
(US$m)

Month

Company

Region

Lead product clinical stage

Therapeutic focus

Intarcia Therapeutics

New England

Phase III

Metabolic/endocrinology

200

March

Juno Therapeutics

Pacific Northwest

Phase I

Oncology

134

August

Invitae

San Francisco Bay Area

Services, technologies and tools

Multiple

120

October

Adaptive Biotechnologies

Pacific Northwest

Services, technologies and tools

Multiple

105

April

Paratek Pharmaceuticals

New England

Phase III

Infection

93

June

Naurex

Midwest

Phase II

Neurology

80

May

Spark Therapeutics

Pennsylvania/Delaware Valley

Phase III

Multiple

73

May

Human Longevity

San Diego

Services, technologies and tools

Multiple

70

March

Melinta Therapeutics

New England

Phase III

Infection

70

February

C3 Jian

Los Angeles/Orange County

Phase II

Dental

61

March

Viamet Pharmaceuticals

North Carolina

Phase II

Infection

60

October

Precision Therapeutics

Midwest

Services, technologies and tools

Multiple

60

November

Kolltan Pharmaceuticals

New England

Phase I

Oncology

60

March

ProNAi Therapeutics

Midwest

Phase II

Oncology

60

April

Juno Therapeutics*

Pacific Northwest

Phase I

Oncology

56

April

* In April 2014, Juno Therapeutics added US$56 million to its 2013 Series A round.
Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

The largest sum raised was by Intarcia


Therapeutics, a Boston-headquartered
developer of a tiny subdermal pump that
can regulate the delivery of exenatide for
diabetes and obesity patients.

It is also noteworthy that Juno Therapeutics


IPO the largest of 2014 was fueled
by two big venture rounds for a total of
US$190 million during 2014. The company
also raised US$120 million in December
2013, which meant that it raised a total of
US$310 million in less than 12 months.

Meanwhile, 23% of US biotech VC rounds


in 2014 were early-stage (defined as
seed or first round). Thats exactly the
same proportion as the previous 10-year
average, but down from 27% in 2013.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

43

Financing

US biotechnology IPOs, 200014


Capital raised

Number of deals

70
60
50

40
30

Number of deals

Capital raised in IPOs (US$b)

20
1
10
0

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

The IPO bounce


For the second straight year, a surging
IPO market breathed new life into the
US biotech financing landscape. New
benchmarks were set in terms of both the
number of public listings (63) and proceeds
raised (US$4.9 billion), outstripping
previous records set in 2000-01 at the
height of the genomics bubble, when 52
IPOs raised US$4.5 billion.
Of course, the 2014 boom came on the
heels of a very strong 2013 (itself the
third-biggest IPO year in the industrys
history), meaning that the sector has

44

experienced an unprecedented two-year


surge in which 101 companies went public
and raised a combined US$8.2 billion.
To put that in perspective, roughly the
same number of IPOs occurred in the eightyear period between 2005 and 2012.
The 2014 biotech IPO ledger is filled
with new benchmarks. Although the
average deal size remained consistent
with 2013 and the overall 15-year
average, more than three-quarters (48)
of the biotechs that went public in 2014
brought in more than US$50 million in

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

their initial offerings, while 17 cleared


the US$100 million mark. The previous
record of 16 was set back in 2000, while
the third-highest total was 13 IPOs in
2013. 2014 closed with the secondlargest US biotech IPO on record, when
Juno Therapeutics raised more than
US$300 million. (The US record holder
remains Talecris Biotherapeutics
US$950 million IPO in 2009.) Nearly 60%
of new companies listed within or above
their IPO ranges.

Financing

The 2013-14 IPO window has been


sustained by strong after-market
performance. Of the 63 IPOs in the
class of 2014, 40 (63%) had positive
returns through 31 December 2014,
16 were up more than 100%, and two
earned returns of more than 335%:
Radius Health (specializing in endocrine
disorders) and Auspex Pharmaceuticals
(focused on neurological disorders).
The IPO class as a whole was up 27%
through 31 December 2014 (and
44% through 31 March 2015). Such
returns have bolstered investor interest
and confidence in the sector and
expectations of a raft of companies
aiming for IPO in the coming months.

Capital raised in IPOs (US$b)

2.0

25

1.6

20

1.2

15

0.8

10

0.4

0.0

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

2012

Q3

Q4

Q1

2013

Q2

Q3

Q4

Number of deals

Number of deals

Capital raised

2014

Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

US biotechnology IPO pricing by quarter, 201314


Within or above expected range

Below expected range


40%

Q4
2014

It would be unreasonable to assume that


the most fruitful biotech IPO window in
history would stay wide open for much
longer, and indeed pricing power of new
issuers diminished in the fourth quarter
of 2014. That said, while only 10
companies went public in Q4, three were
among the largest of the year: Juno
Therapeutics, FibroGen and Bellicum
Pharmaceuticals. And as 2015 began,
the IPO queue remained robust.

The anatomy of a US IPO window

60%
54%

Q3

46%

38%

Q2

63%
73%

Q1

27%

50%

Q4
2013

As usual, therapeutics companies


dominated the scene: 92% of companies
that went public in 2014 were focused on
new therapies (up from 80% of the class of
2013), one-quarter of those in oncology.

50%
85%

Q3

15%

58%

Q2

42%

33%

Q1
0%

10%

20%

67%
30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

45

Financing

Top US IPOs, 2014


Like Juno Therapeutics, nearly one-quarter of US biotech IPOs in 2014 were also focused on oncology, including three of the top five.
New England is home to 17 of the IPO class of 2014. Thirteen newly public biotechs are based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Gross
raised
(US$m)

IPO pricing
range

Post-IPO
performance (as of
31 December 2014)

Company

Region

Lead product
clinical stage

Therapeutic focus

Juno Therapeutics

Pacific Northwest

Phase II

Oncology

305

Above

118%

FibroGen

San Francisco Bay Area

Phase III

Multiple

168

Within

52%

Acucela

Pacific Northwest

Phase III

Ophthalmic

163

Within

-67%

Bellicum Pharmaceuticals

Texas

Phase II

Oncology

161

Above

21%

Kite Pharma

Los Angeles/Orange County

Phase II

Oncology

147

Above

239%

Versartis

San Francisco Bay Area

Phase II

Metabolic/endocrinology

145

Within

7%

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical

San Francisco Bay Area

Phase II

Multiple

139

Above

109%

Dermira

San Francisco Bay Area

Phase II

Dermatology

125

Within

13%

ZS Pharma

Texas

Phase III

Multiple

123

Above

131%

Avalanche Biotechnologies

San Francisco Bay Area

Phase II

Ophthalmic

117

Within

218%

Akebia Therapeutics

Midwest

Phase II

Hematology/renal

115

Within

-32%

Otonomy

San Diego

Phase III

Ear, nose and throat

115

Within

108%

Revance Therapeutics

San Francisco Bay Area

Phase III

Aesthetics

110

Within

6%

Zafgen

New England

Phase II

Metabolic/endocrinology

110

Within

93%

Tokai Pharmaceuticals

New England

Phase II

Oncology

105

Within

-2%

Dicerna Pharmaceuticals

New England

Phase I

Oncology

103

Above

10%

Sage Therapeutics

New England

Phase II

Neurology

103

Within

103%

Auspex Pharmaceuticals

San Diego

Phase III

Neurology

97

Within

337%

Concert Pharmaceuticals

New England

Phase II

Multiple

93

Within

-5%

Coherus Biosciences

San Francisco Bay Area

Phase III

Multiple

92

Within

21%

Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

46

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Financing

Financing

European biotechnology financings, 200014


Debt

Europe

Follow-on and other

IPOs

Venture

10

Capital raised (US$b)

00

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

The European biotech sector racked up


its strongest financing performance in
the history of the industry and posted the
second-strongest performance in each
individual financing category. Overall,
the sector raised US$9.2 billion 53%
more than in 2013, and a whopping 97%
more than the previous 10-year average.
IPOs raised US$1.9 billion. That is more
than in the prior seven years combined,
but well below the US$3.3 billion raised
in 2000. Follow-on financing brought in
US$3.1 billion, just shy of the US$3.2 billion
raised in 2007. Debt financing generated
US$2.2 billion, almost double the 2003-13
average of US$1.2 billion but below the
US$2.5 billion raised in 2013. And venture
capital raised US$2 billion, just $30 million
below the 2006 peak.

Its also noteworthy that more than


US$1.3 billion of the total raised
in Europe in 2014 came via two
formerly US companies now based in
Ireland: Jazz Pharmaceuticals, which
raised US$1.1 billion in two debt
offerings, and Alkermes, which raised
US$250 million via an equity deal.
As in the US, European company
financing slowed in the second half of
2014, primarily due to a drop in follow-on
offerings in the third quarter. IPO activity
came to an abrupt halt in November, with
no further activity through year-end. But
as 2015 began, a small cohort of European
companies entered the IPO queue.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

47

Financing

Large and small European companies


all benefited from the banner 2014
investment bonanza. Led by the UK,
European innovation capital soared to
its highest levels ever US$6.5 billion
surpassing the US$5.6 billion invested in
2000. This uptick in innovation capital
was driven by resurgent IPO and follow-on
markets and increased venture capital
commitments. Indeed, venture investment
was responsible for 31% of the total.

Innovation capital in Europe, 200014


Innovation capital

Commercial leaders also enjoyed the


healthy funding environment by raising
US$2.8 billion, the greatest yearly total
since 2007. Innovation capital accounted
for 70% of total financing in 2014, up
from 58% in 2013.
The standout story in 2014 European
financing was the UK. While the UK has
been a perennial leader, in 2014 it hit a
seven-year high, raising US$2 billion in
innovation capital (31% of the European
total) and US$593 million in venture
capital (29% of the total). The UK also led
Europe in the number of funding rounds.
Industry observers attributed some of
this renewed investor confidence to
government tax breaks on investment
in R&D. EYs annual report on the UK
biotechnology sector pointed out that in
2013 there were more than 460 biotech
drugs in development in the UK, far more
than in any other European country.

Commercial leaders

10

Capital raised (US$b)

The investment bonanza

00

01

02

03

04

05

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

Quarterly breakdown of European biotechnology financings, 2014


(US$m)

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Total

$719
(9)

$214
(6)

$519
(10)

$405
(6)

$1,856
(31)

Follow-on and other

$1,349
(46)

$728
(23)

$170
(17)

$869
(27)

$3,116
(113)

Debt

$1,331
(6)

$80
(6)

$755
(14)

$82
(9)

$2,248
(35)

$314
(40)

$633
(56)

$487
(41)

$596
(46)

$2,030
(183)

$3,713
(101)

$1,654
(91)

$1,931
(82)

$1,952
(88)

$9,250
(362)

IPOs

Venture
Total

Figures in parentheses are number of financings. Numbers may appear inconsistent because of rounding.
Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

48

06

Innovation capital is the amount of equity capital raised by companies


with revenues of less than US$500 million.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Financing

Innovation capital raised by leading European countries, 2014


Belgium

Denmark

France

Germany

Israel

Netherlands

Switzerland

UK

2.5

Innovation capital raised (US$b)

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0
0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Venture capital raised (US$m)


Size of bubbles shows relative number of financings per country.
Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

The return of European venture capital


Total amount raised

Average deal size

2.5

12

Total amount raised (US$b)

8
1.5
6
1.0
2
0.5

0.0

Average deal size (US$m)

10

2.0

0
2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

49

Financing

Top European venture financings, 2014


Company

Country

Lead product clinical stage

Status

Adaptimmune

UK

Oncology

Phase I

Amount
(US$m)
104

Month
September

Adapt Pharma

Ireland

Substance abuse

Phase not specified

95

May

Biocartis

Switzerland

Non-disease-specific

Molecular diagnostics

86

September

Cell Medica

UK

Infection

Phase III

82

November

Glycotope

Germany

Womens health

Phase III

73

March

NovImmune

Switzerland

Autoimmune

Phase II

66

February

Ascendis Pharma

Denmark

Metabolic/endocrinology

Phase II

60

December

Cardiorentis

Switzerland

Cardiovascular

Phase III

60

September

Nucana BioMed

UK

Oncology

Preclinical

57

April

ProQR Therapeutics

Netherlands

Respiratory

Phase not specified

56

April

Enigma Diagnostics

UK

Respiratory

Molecular diagnostics

50

October

Wilson Therapeutics

Sweden

Metabolic/endocrinology

Phase II

40

April

Kymab

UK

Autoimmune

Preclinical

40

May

Nordic Nanovector

Norway

Oncology

Phase I

40

June

Anokion

Switzerland

Autoimmune

Preclinical

36

May

Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

Buoyed by renewed confidence


in European and US IPO markets,
European venture capital investment
in biotech surged in 2014 to levels not
seen since 2006, with US$2 billion
raised. The average deal size was
US$11.1 million, the highest since
2002. There were only 183 rounds in
2014, fewer than the previous 10-year
average of 218.
The improved figures for European
financing is good news. Larger
investments give European companies
more options for R&D, better
dealmaking opportunities and better
opportunities for market readiness than
they have had in many years.

50

But European companies remain at a


disadvantage to their US counterparts.
The median deal size for US companies
in 2014 was US$10 million, while for
European companies it was less than
half that figure.

was the relative share of early rounds.


In Europe, 70% of venture rounds were
early-stage, as opposed to 23% in the
US. Early-stage rounds accounted for
US$661 million in Europe in 2014
the highest total since at least 2002.

The consequences of this disparity are


evident. Since drug development costs are
no lower in Europe than in the US, smaller
deal sizes mean that European companies
face a longer road to market. They are
often forced to partner earlier than US
companies, have less power to negotiate
favorable deal terms and are less able to
retain the rights to their products.

Nine of the top 15 European venture


financings of 2014 were invested in UK
(5) or Swiss (4) companies, a reflection of
the relative maturity of the venture capital
sector in those countries. In addition,
the importance of Paris-based Euronext
as an IPO destination, combined with
factors such as the French governments
revamped R&D tax credit policies, should
help create a more favorable ecosystem
for biotech venture capital in France.

One important difference between


European and US venture investment

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Financing

The largest venture investment in


Europe in 2014 was the US$104 million
first-round funding raised by UK-based
Adaptimmune, which is developing a
new range of drugs based on immune
system cells. The oversubscribed round, in
September, was one of the largest earlystage funding rounds of the last decade.
There were two other first-round
venture financings in the 2014 top
10: Switzerlands Novimmune, which
focuses on antibody-based drugs to
treat inflammatory, autoimmune and
other disorders, and Netherlands-based
ProQR Therapeutics, which is developing
RNA-based therapeutics for the treatment
of severe genetic disorders, with an initial
focus on cystic fibrosis.

Eyeing the IPOs


At the start of 2014, many industry
observers were wondering why the US
enthusiasm for biotech IPOs had not
crossed the Atlantic. Indeed, European
markets seemed stuck in a rut. Venture
funding had dried up after the credit crisis.
Investors in European markets had been
burned by a number of biotech failures in
the late 1990s and early 2000s, leading
many generalist funds to stop investing
in the sector. Perhaps European biotech
investors would never regain the passion
they had displayed in 2000, when
companies such as Serono, Actelion and
Crucell completed IPOs.
But things changed rapidly. The US
biotech IPO boom of 2013 soon gave

European investors a boost in confidence


and IPOs started to appear in February
when Egalet, uniQure and 4D Pharma
raised a total of US$177 million. Circassia
followed in March, and the floodgates
opened. Just four weeks after Circassias
launch, nine more European companies
had gone public, and by November
another 18 had followed suit, for a total
of 31 for the year.
To put this into perspective, the
US$1.9 billion raised in 2014 was as much
as the amount raised between 2007 and
2013 combined. The 2014 total was not
enough to rival 2000s US$3.3 billion,
nor did the 2014 average valuation of
US$60 million come close to 2000s
US$123 million. Whats more, only four of
the class of 2014 raised US$100 million,
against 11 in 2000.

European biotechnology IPOs, 200014


Number of deals

3.5

35

3.0

30

2.5

25

2.0

20

1.5

15

1.0

10

0.5

0.0

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Number of deals

Capital raised in IPOs (US$b)

Capital raised

Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

51

Financing

Top European IPOs, 2014


Company

Country

Lead product
clinical stage

Therapeutic focus

Gross
raised
(US$m)

IPO pricing
range

Post-IPO
performance (as of
31 December 2014)

Circassia Pharmaceuticals

UK

Phase III

Autoimmune

333

Within

-15%

Forward Pharma

Denmark

Phase II

Autoimmune

235

Within

-1%

Molecular Partners

Switzerland

Phase II

Multiple

116

Below

3%

ProQR Therapeutics

Netherlands

Preclinical

Respiratory

112

Within

67%

uniQure

Netherlands

Marketed

Multiple

92

Above

-13%

MediWound

Israel

Marketed

Dermatology

80

Within

-52%

Horizon Discovery Group

UK

NA

Research and other equipment

66

NA

Auris Medical

Switzerland

Phase III

Ear, nose and throat

61

Below

-35%

Egalet

Denmark

Phase III

Neurology

58

Within

-53%
-34%

6%

Innocoll

Ireland

Marketed

Multiple

58

Below

Affimed Therapeutics

Germany

Phase II

Oncology

56

Below

-11%

arGEN-X

Netherlands

Phase I

Multiple

55

Within

-18%

Fermentalg

France

NA

Industrial

54

Within

-36%

Genticel

France

Phase I

Infection

53

Within

-35%

MacroCure

Israel

Phase III

Dermatology

53

Below

-27%

GalMed Pharmaceuticals

Israel

Phase II

Metabolic/endocrinology

44

Within

-57%

VBL Therapeutics

Israel

Phase II

Multiple

40

Below

-1%

Abzena

UK

NA

Research and other equipment

37

NA

-5%

Bio Blast Pharma

Israel

Phase III

Genetic

35

Within

-42%

Genomic Vision

France

NA

Molecular diagnostics

34

Within

-31%

Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

A look at the top 15 European companies


that went public in 2014 reveals a depth
and breadth not seen since the IPO
class of 2000. The top 15 companies in
2014 range from several with products
already on the market to one ProQR
Therapeutics still at a preclinical stage.
Before 2014, no European IPO had raised
more than US$100 millon since Denmarks
Symphogen went public in 2011. In
2014, four IPOs exceeded this threshold:
Circassia, Forward Pharma, ProQR and
Molecular Partners.

52

At US$333 million, Circassias IPO was


the largest ever for the UK biotech sector.
The historic volume of the IPO was partly
driven by Circassias focus on developing
allergy vaccines. Even even before its
March listing, the company had raised
several of the UKs largest-ever rounds of
biotech venture capital.

priced their IPOs within or above their


anticipated ranges, that figure slumped
to 50% in the second half of the year.
Nonetheless, a degree of optimism has
returned to the European biotech IPO
market. This was evident in the first
quarter of 2015 as seven IPOs raised a
total of US$339 million.

Predicting the duration of an IPO window


is an inherently tricky proposition. Europe
had no IPOs after mid-November. And
while 73% of the European class of 2014

Of the 31 European companies that


went public in 2014, 25 (81%) were
focused on therapeutics; of those, 16%
were in Phase III, 12% had licensed their

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Financing

When it comes to IPOs, European


companies have faced some tough choices
in recent years. Should they list their
shares in their home markets, or try their
luck with US investors in the white-hot
US market?
In 2014, the latter option looked like the
best one. Except for Circassia, which
was the first UK biotech to launch on
the London Stock Exchange since 2006,
eight of the top 10 European IPOs
occurred on the NASDAQ. Of the top
20 European biotech IPOs, those which
listed on NASDAQ raised US$58 million,
almost double the amount raised by the
companies that listed on Euronext in Paris
and the amount raised on AIM in London.
Markets formerly open to biotech IPOs,
such as Zrich and Frankfurt, now display
almost no interest in the sector. Of the
two German IPOs in 2014, one listed on
NASDAQ and the other on Euronext.
Still, seven companies did list on the
Euronext exchange in 2014. Strong
performance by Euronext-listed
companies may add fuel to ongoing
discussions at the European Commission
aimed at creating a united European
capital market.
One of the key differences between
companies that tested the IPO market in
Europe in 2014 and their US counterparts
is their relative post-IPO performances.
While 63% of US companies finished
the year trading up relative to their

IPO price, only seven, or 23%, of the


European 2014 IPO class could boast a
similar result, a potential dent to future
investor confidence in the sector.

in Europe, they find themselves at a


disadvantage, less able to attract the
coverage and investor interest that
homegrown US companies attract.

Post-IPO performance indicators are


a sobering reminder of the challenges
facing European companies, regardless
of where they list. As our chart shows,
European firms that listed on the NASDAQ
performed much worse than their US
counterparts. European firms 2014
post-IPO performance was negative
overall. The paradox for European firms
is that while they are able to raise more
funds up front by chasing a NASDAQ
listing than they would if they listed

The standout performer among European


IPOs in 2014 was Manchester-based
4D Pharma, whose price more than
doubled after its February debut on the
London AIM. Dutch company ProQR
Therapeutics (focused on genetic
disorders) and Swedens Gabather
(developer of CNS drugs) both delivered
returns of more than 60%, and
Denmark-based Saniona also pleased
investors after its debut on the Swedish
AktieTorget exchange.

Performance distribution of 2014 NASDAQ biotech IPOs (in %)


400

Parameters

360
Share price relative to offer price

products and another 12% had products


on the market. British, French and Israeli
companies each notched five IPOs.

Number of
companies

320
280
240
200
160

US
biotech

Europe
biotech

62

12

Highest

386%

67%

75 percentile

100%

-9%

11%

-31%

25 percentile

-10%

-45%

Lowest

-75%

-57%

Median

120
80
40
0
-40
-80
US companies (62)

European companies (12)

Share price relative to offer price was calculated as of 31 December 2014. Median data are shown in yellow bars.
Source: EY, Capital IQ and finance.yahoo.com.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

53

Deals
Financing | Financing the future

Beyond borders 2015

Deals

54

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Deals

Changing dynamics

The big picture


2014 was a breakout year for both M&A and licensing, as biopharma companies used transactions to
jump-start or shift business strategies in a sector where the dynamics are rapidly changing. Indeed, M&A
activity in the biotechnology sector reached an eight-year high in both deal number and value (excluding
megadeals, valued at US$5 billion or more). In all, the industry notched 68 biotechnology deals totaling
US$49 billion, a 46% increase over 2013.

Acquirers werent just paying more;


they were also paying more up front.
In contrast to 2013, when 45% of
the deals were structured to include
future earn-outs, only 33% of the M&A
transactions signed in 2014 used this
risk-hedging stratagem.
On the alliance front, biotech companies
brokered 152 licensing deals worth
US$46.8 billion. A review of the past eight
years of licensing activity shows 2014 was
the most lucrative for biotechs looking to
sign alliances, as the average up-front deal
value increased by 78% to US$41 million
from US$23 million in 2013.
This transactional uptick is partly explained
by the return of the public markets and
rising valuations, which have given biotechs
more financing options, and thus, more
bargaining power in deal negotiations.
Theres also more competition as big
pharmas compete with specialty pharma
companies and other biotechs for strategic
assets to bolster pipelines. As a result of
these forces, biotechs found themselves
in the transactional drivers seat, and
interested acquirers had little choice but
to pay at, or near, full value to win rights to
products of interest.

Pharma returns to
M&A dealmaking
A look at the numbers shows pharma
buyers were primarily responsible for the
years heightened deal activity. As we have
written in the last several issues of Beyond
borders, the pharma subsector continues
to face a number of headwinds, including
pricing pressures, R&D productivity
challenges and a slowdown in high-growth
emerging markets. These challenges have
resulted in the groups subpar revenue
relative to the industry overall. In 2014,
the need to accelerate growth helped
explain pharmas renewed emphasis on
dealmaking, despite the fact that target
valuations have reached record highs.
Indeed, M&A activity between pharmas and
either US or European biotechs reached a
level in 2014 not seen since 2009, when
Roche bought out the remaining shares
of Genentech that it didnt already own.
Excluding megadeals, pharmas spent more
in 2014 to acquire biotechs than they
had annually in the previous nine years.
Deal numbers also rebounded: pharmas
acquired 27 biotechs in 2014, the highest
deal volume since 2008.

An analysis of the years deals shows


that two different strategic priorities
drove much of pharmas M&A: first,
access to products that could fill revenue
gaps; second, acquisitions that enabled
companies to achieve scale in businesses
or therapeutic areas where they believe
they are, or can be, market leaders. Indeed,
in 2014, certain pharmas began to distance
themselves from the diversification
strategies they employed to smooth out
earnings at the height of the patent cliff.
This emphasis on focus fueled not just
a wave of pharma-biotech M&A, but a
number of intra-pharma transactions.
Thus, certain companies divested
adjacent businesses (e.g., animal health
or consumer health) and/or therapeutic
businesses that had been deprioritized,
while others took the opportunity to
acquire available assets. By focusing on
fewer areas and achieving real depth,
pharmas hope not only to rationalize their
R&D and commercial efforts. They also
aim to build franchises that offer an array
of solutions across the care paradigm,
potentially making their products more
compelling to stringent health care buyers.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

55

Deals

US and European M&As, 200714


Biotech-biotech

Potential value (US$b)

Pharma-biotech megadeals (>US$5b)


Number of deals

70

70

60

60

50

50

40

40

30

30

20

20

10

10

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Number of deals

Pharma-biotech

Biotech-biotech megadeals (>US$5b)

companies enter faster-growing therapeutic


battlegrounds such as oncology or
hepatitis C, the increasing competition
and pushback from payers threaten to
decelerate big biotechs growth rates.
This is particularly true for biologics
developers, which, for the first time, face
the prospect of biosimilar competition in
the US marketplace.

Chart excludes transactions where deal terms were not publicly disclosed.
Source: EY, BioCentury, Capital IQ and VentureSource.

Biotech buyers?
Biotech buyers, meantime, signed 41
transactions in 2014, making them a
presence at the deal table. However, in
terms of the number of deals, that is the
second-lowest volume of biotech-biotech
transactions since 2007. (The lowest was in
2013, when there were 33 deals.)
Biotech-biotech deal values also retreated,
with the total dollars spent in 2014
dipping 51% year over year to one of the
lowest levels in the past decade. Smaller
biotechs, as opposed to the commercial
leaders, accounted for most of the years

56

M&A activity. Like their pharma brethren,


the data suggest the biotechs that were
buying were most interested in acquiring
products or platforms in their core
therapeutic areas.
That the biotech commercial leaders
eschewed M&A in 2014 isnt too
surprising. As we noted in Firepower
fireworks, EYs 2015 Firepower Index
and Growth Gap Report, strong product
launches in recent years mean the bigger
biotechs have not felt pressured to do
deals to fill revenue growth gaps.
That could change in 2015 and 2016 as big
biotechs face their own headwinds. As more

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

In some ways, big biotechs are also


victims of their own success. Thanks
to robust pipelines, they have posted
revenue growth numbers that are difficult,
if not impossible, to sustain without
resorting to inorganic means.
The good news for the biotechnology
commercial leaders is that they have an
arsenal of firepower at their disposal
when they are ready to consider strategic
M&A. EY defines firepower as an
acquirers capacity for deals based on its
market valuation, its debt capacity and the
strength of its balance sheet. According to
the EY Firepower Index, which measures,
in aggregate, the firepower of various
biopharma buyers, big biotechs firepower
grew 30% from 2013 to 2014. Compare
that increase to the more modest uptick
associated with big pharmas, which as
a class, posted only a 13% increase in
available firepower in the same year.
In an era when big biotechs, big pharmas
and specialty pharmas are often
competing for the same assets, what
matters most is relative firepower. As a
class, big pharmas still command more
firepower than their rivals; however, EYs
analysis shows big biotechs and specialty
pharmas continue to make gains that, in

Deals

Big pharma continues to command the most firepower, even as its


relative share of total firepower declines to an eightyear low
Big pharma

Specialty pharma

from a high of 12 to just three. After a


three-year slump, 2014 marked another
bonanza year for the billion dollar club,
matching 2010 in terms of the number of
deals that met this threshold.

Big biotech

100%

In 2014, pharmas werent just the most


active acquirers; they were also the
most active in-licensers. The potential
deal values for pharma-biotech alliances
grew 59% from 2013 to 2014. This is in
contrast to 2013, when a slate of strong
biotech buyers drove the year-over-year
growth in alliance values. Indeed, while
biotech in-licensers committed to spend
US$10.5 billion on alliances in 2014,
virtually the same amount as for 2013,
average total deal values for dropped 13%.

Share of total firepower

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Data analyzed through 14 December 2014. Total firepower refers to the combined firepower of big pharma,
specialty pharma and big biotech.
Source: EY and Capital IQ.

the future, could make it more challenging


for big pharmas that are relying on M&A
for new product growth. These shifts
in firepower are likely to influence deal
trends in 2015 and beyond, including
pushing certain acquirers into licensing
situations as they look for more affordable
strategies to access products.

A strong year for


biotech alliances
The 2014 alliance data also show it was
clearly a biotechnology sellers market.
The number of strategic alliances
rebounded sharply from 2013 to 2014,
reaching a level not seen since 2010.

Although alliance volumes remained


roughly 20% below the 2007 peak,
average potential deal values in 2014
reached their highest level since the
financial crisis. Indeed, biotechs that
licensed products in 2014 garnered
potential deals worth an average of
US$279 million; that is a 17% increase
over the previous highest average
deal size of US$238 million, which was
achieved in 2008.
Another metric that demonstrated 2014s
warmer licensing climate was the number
of alliances with potential deal values
greater than US$1 billion. From 2010
to 2011, the number of alliances worth
US$1 billion or more dropped sharply

Meanwhile, pharma in-licensers nearly


doubled the amount they committed to
alliances to US$36.3 billion. The average
total value for a pharma-biotech alliance
increased 21% from 2013 to 2014 to
US$367 million, while the median total
deal value for pharma-biotech alliances
increased from US$143 million to
US$148 million.
These soaring amounts shouldnt be
surprising given the macro forces at work
in the life sciences. The robust IPO and
follow-on markets of 2014 meant biotechs
were less dependent on transactions to
finance themselves and could therefore
focus on deals that furthered their strategic
objectives. Moreover, as competition
increased, biotechs found themselves
in the welcome position of garnering
top dollar for their assets, especially for
late-stage, de-risked products.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

57

Deals

Both pharma and biotech in-licensers


contributed to the gains. Biotech
in-licensers spent twice as much on
up-front payments in 2014 as they did
in 2013; pharma in-licensers, meantime,
spent 88% more on up-front payments
(US$3.4 billion) in the same time period.
Indeed, in 2014, both biotech and pharma
buyers paid more up front to access
key technologies and products than at
any other time since the financial crisis.
Year over year, big pharma up-front
fees increased, on average, 49% to
US$53 million, while biotech up-front
payments increased 44% to US$39 million.
The uptick is even more striking when the
years figures are compared to the averages
associated with the prior three-year period.
Pharma up-front payments spiked 85% in
2014 compared to 2011-13, while biotech
up-front payments climbed 103%.

50

200

40

160

30

120

20

80

10

40

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Chart shows potential value, including up-front and milestone payments, for
alliances where deal terms are publicly disclosed.
Source: EY, Medtrack and company news.

US and European strategic alliances based on upfront payments, 200714


Pharma-biotech

Biotech-biotech

Up-fronts/biobucks

14%
12%

10%

8%
3
6%
2

4%

2%

2007

2008

2009

Source: EY, Medtrack and company news.

58

Number of deals

Number of deals

Biotech-biotech

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

0%

Up-fronts as a share of biobucks

In 2014, biotech licensers saw


year-on-year total up-front payments for
alliances soar 96% (from US$2.6 billion
to US$5.1 billion). As a percentage of total
deal value, up-front payments reached
11%, a level not seen since before the
financial crisis.

Pharma-biotech

Potential value (US$b)

As noted, in 2014 biotech licensers


captured more value at a deals signing.
From 2005 to 2007, biotech licensers
realized, on average, 11% of an alliances
value in the up-front payment. For the
next six years, that value slowly declined,
averaging 10% from 2008 to 2010 and
just 8% for the 2011-13 time span.

US and European strategic alliances based on biobucks, 200714

Up-front value (US$b)

Capturing more
value up front

Deals

A historic analysis of deal premiums paid


for each of the top 10 acquisitions for the
past six years shows the difference a year
can make. In 2009, acquirers of the top 10
biotechs paid bid premiums that averaged
63%. Those average bid premiums
declined over the next four years, reaching
a nadir of 36% in 2013. In 2014, as
biotechs options improved, bid premiums
increased nine percentage points to 45%.
Consistent with biotechs stronger position
at the bargaining table, only six of the
largest deals of 2014 included contingent
value rights (CVR). When pharma or
biotechs felt compelled to acquire, the
strategic priority was great enough that
companies were willing to pay large sums
up front without hedging their bets via
contingency payments.
In contrast to 2013, big pharmas in
2014 were much more visible at the
acquisition table, signing six of the top 15
deals, including the years three biggest
money-getters. Biotechs, meanwhile, were
buyers in just two of the years top deals.
Merck & Co. and Roche were the years
top acquirers, spending, respectively,
US$13.4 billion and US$10 billion on
biotechs. Both pharmas signed megadeals
during the year: Merck purchased Cubist
Pharmaceuticals in a transaction worth
US$8.4 billion in cash and another
US$1.1 billion in assumed debt; Roche,
meantime, spent US$8.3 billion to acquire
InterMune and its lead drug pirfenidone,
a potential blockbuster for idiopathic
pulmonary fibrosis.

Bid premiums for top 10 M&As, 200914


Bid premium median (%)

Bid premium average (%)


70%
60%
50%
Percentage

Notable biotech
transactions

40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Chart excludes transactions where bid premium was not publicly disclosed.
Chart includes biotech deals only.
Source: EY, Medtrack and company news.

Merck also purchased hepatitis C drug


developer Idenix in 2014. The deal doublet
exemplifies big pharmas belief in the
strategic importance of building marketleading commercial franchises. Having
divested its consumer health business
to Bayer HealthCare in October 2014,
Merck used the proceeds to strengthen
its pipeline of anti-infectives. Via Cubist,
it has gained a suite of acute care hospital
products that complement its existing
portfolio of antibiotics. The Idenix
transaction, meantime, has given the New
Jersey-based pharma access to promising
early-stage drug candidates in a lucrative
therapeutic area.
Roches acquisition of Seragon was also
noteworthy. For starters, it wasnt Roche,
but its subsidiary Genentech, which
brokered the deal. Historically, Genentech
has not been an aggressive acquirer,

preferring to tap its highly productive


internal R&D group for future products.
The up-front cash associated with the deal
also made it difficult to ignore. Genentech
shelled out US$725 million up front for a
Phase I asset and a back-up compound, and
agreed to another US$1 billion in earn-outs.
That Genentech was willing to pay so
much for such early-stage compounds
highlights both the scarcity of high-quality
oncology assets and the belief that
commercial success requires a solution
mentality whereby companies develop
therapeutic combinations to treat the full
spectrum of a disease. In this instance,
the Seragon acquisition gives Genentech
access to two next-generation selective
estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs) that
could be combined with other molecules
in the Roche/Genentech pipeline to treat
estrogen-driven cancers.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

59

Deals

Selected M&As, 2014


Acquiring company

Country

Acquired company

Country

Total potential
value (US$m)

CVRs/milestones
(US$m)

Merck & Co.

US

Cubist Pharmaceuticals

US

9,500

Roche

Switzerland

InterMune

US

8,300

Merck & Co.

US

Idenix Pharmaceuticals

US

3,850

Otsuka Pharmaceutical

Japan

Avanir Pharmaceuticals

US

3,500

Meda

Sweden

Rottapharm

Italy

3,093

Forest Laboratories

US

Aptalis Pharma

Canada

2,900

Endo International

Ireland

Auxilium Pharmaceuticals

US

2,600

Johnson & Johnson

US

Alios BioPharma

US

1,750

Roche/Genentech

US

Seragon Pharmaceuticals

US

1,725

1,000

Baxter International

US

Chatham Therapeutics

US

1,410

1,340

Mallinckrodt

US

Cadence Pharmaceuticals

US

1,400

AMAG Pharmaceuticals

US

Lumara Health

US

1,025

350

Baxter International

US

AesRx

US

843

828

BioMarin Pharmaceutical

US

Prosensa

Netherlands

840

160

Teva Pharmaceuticals

Israel

Labrys Biologics

US

825

625

Bristol-Myers Squibb

US

iPierian

US

725

550

Total potential value includes up-front, milestone and other payments from publicly available sources.
Source: EY, Capital IQ, Medtrack and company news.

Of the biotech-biotech deals, the


most notable were Medas acquisition
of Rottapharm and BioMarin
Pharmaceuticals acquisition of Prosensa.
Not only was Medas acquisition of
Rottapharm the largest European
biotech acquisition, it was also indicative
of 2014s eat or be eaten dynamic,
and one means Meda used to stave off
its interested acquirers. In many ways,
BioMarins Prosensa purchase represents
a calculated risk for the California-based
biotech. BioMarin announced the deal
following news that Prosensas latestage treatment for Duchenne muscular
dystrophy had failed to show a meaningful
benefit in clinical trials.

60

In 2014, biotechs with differentiated,


late-stage assets or novel platforms had
the luxury of negotiation from a position
of strength.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Deals

Notable biotech alliances


In 2014, 13 alliance transactions cleared
the US$100 million up-front threshold,
a marked uptick from 2013 when only
seven deals met this bar. In terms of total
biobucks, 12 alliances garnered potential
deal values of at least US$1 billion versus
five the prior year.
Access to promising new technologies
and the potential for multi-target
collaborations drove some of the biggest
up-front payments. As was true in 2013,
ModeRNA Therapeutics (messenger RNA
therapeutics) and FORMA Therapeutics
(drug discovery) were among the top 15
alliance getters of 2014.
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals also signed a
noteworthy deal with Sanofis Genzyme
subsidiary for access to the biotechs
rare disease treatments. As part of the
deal, Sanofi took a 12% equity stake in
Alnylam and retains an option to buy
as much as 30% of the biotech at some
point in the future. The US$700 million
down payment provides Alnylam with
considerable financial optionality as it
continues to develop its experimental
treatment for transthyretin-familial
amyloid polyneuropathy.
With pharma buyers looking for
near-term revenues, its hardly surprising
that in 2014 late-stage products also
garnered rich up-fronts. Celgene,
which continued its aggressive alliance
strategy, sought to deepen its pipeline
of inflammation assets, acquiring rights
to the first-in-class Phase III Crohns
disease therapy from Nogra Pharma

Alliances with big upfront payments, 2014


Up-front
payments
(US$m)

Company

Country

Partner

Country

Celgene

US

Nogra Pharma

Ireland

710

Sanofi/Genzyme

US

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

US

700

Pfizer

US

OPKO Health

US

295

AbbVie

US

Infinity Pharmaceuticals

US

275

Celgene

US

Forma Therapeutics

US

225

Novartis

Switzerland

Ophthotech

US

200

Servier

France

Intarcia Therapeutics

US

171

Sanofi

France

MannKind

US

150

Roche/Genentech

US

NewLink Genetics

US

150

Alexion Pharmaceuticals

US

ModeRNA Therapeutics

US

125

Johnson & Johnson

US

MacroGenics

US

125

Daiichi Sankyo

Japan

Charleston Laboratories

US

100

Baxter International

US

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals

US

100

Celgene

US

Sutro Biopharma

US

95

Pfizer

US

Cellectis

France

80

Source: EY, Medtrack and company news.

with the years largest up-front payment.


OPKO Health, Infinity Pharmaceuticals,
Ophthotech and Intarcia Therapeutics
also signed rich deals for late-stage
assets in the orphan disease, oncology,
ophthalmology and diabetes arenas.
Which companies were the most
prominent in-licensers of 2014? As
a group, Japanese pharmas were
noticeable, participating in three of the

years largest alliances based on biobucks.


Of the individual pharmas, Johnson &
Johnson, Takeda Pharmaceuticals and
Roche were the most active individual
players, brokering alliances with publicly
disclosed potential deal values totaling
US$4.5 billion, US$2.2 billion and
US$2.0 billion, respectively. For the
second year in a row, Celgene was 2014s
top biotech in-licenser with five publicly
disclosed deals worth US$4.5 billion.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

61

Deals

Big biobucks alliances, 2014


Total potential
value (US$m)

Up-front
payments (US$m)

Company

Country

Partner

Country

Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma

Japan

Edison Pharmaceuticals

US

4,295

Pfizer

US

Cellectis

France

2,855

80

Celgene

US

Nogra Pharma

Ireland

2,575

710

Merck & Co.

US

Ablynx

Belgium

2,297

27

60

Takeda Pharmaceutical

Japan

MacroGenics

US

1,600

ND

Viking Therapeutics

US

Ligand Pharmaceuticals

US

1,538

ND

Bristol-Myers Squibb

US

CytomX Therapeutics

US

1,242

50

Astellas Pharma

Japan

Proteostasis Therapeutics

US

1,200

ND

Celgene

US

Sutro Biopharma

US

1,185

95

Roche

US

NewLink Genetics

US

1,150

150

Servier

France

Intarcia Therapeutics

US

1,051

171

Novartis

Switzerland

Ophthotech

US

1,030

200

Baxter International

US

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals

US

970

100

Johnson & Johnson

US

Geron

US

935

35

Sanofi

France

MannKind

US

925

150

Total potential value includes up-front, milestone and other payments from publicly available sources.
ND refers to deals where up-front amounts were not publicly disclosed.
Source: EY, Medtrack and company news.

Realizing value
In 2013, the story was one of promise.
A warming financing climate and
greater competition for deals created
a more positive dealmaking climate;
for smaller biotechs and their backers,
there was renewed hope that as a class,
biotechs would recognize more value
for their efforts.
In 2014, that promise became reality.
The same market forces at work in

62

2013 strengthened in 2014, creating an


unprecedented year for transactions.
Biotechs with differentiated, late-stage
assets or novel platforms had the luxury of
negotiating from a position of strength, a
welcome change from just a few years ago.
While the shift is worth celebrating,
some pressing issues could darken the
optimistic skies of the life sciences sector.
Ongoing questions about pricing and

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

access to truly breakthrough innovations


continue to dog the industry. Payers
around the globe are offering tough words
about the value of late-stage or newly
launched pharmaceuticals.
In this new value-oriented world, biotech
management teams must remain vigilant,
making sure capital allocation strategies
are aligned with their operational
performance goals.

Deals

Pharma-biotech

United States

Biotech-biotech

Biotech-biotech megadeals (>US$5b)

Pharma-biotech megadeals (>US$5b)


Number of deals
60

75

50

Potential value (US$b)

60

40
45
30
30
20
15

Number of deals

Deals

US M&As, 200714

10

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Chart excludes transactions where deal terms were not publicly disclosed.
Source: EY, Capital IQ, Medtrack and company news.

Excluding megadeals, 2014 was the


strongest year since 2007 for biotech
M&A in the United States. Including
megadeals, potential deal values increased
sharply over 2013 to US$42.9 billion. That
is the third-highest annual deal total since
2007. All in, there were 51 transactions
involving US biotechs, a new eight-year
high in terms of deal volumes.
Both pharma and biotechs were active
in-licensers of US biotech products in
2014. In terms of total potential deal
values, pharma-biotech alliances in 2014
generated US$25.5 billion, the largest

money total since 2007; US-focused


biotech-biotech alliances, meanwhile,
generated US$10.4 billion, equaling
the dollar record set the year before.
The total alliance value increased 73%
year-over-year in 2014, as a result of
pharmas renewed interest in dealmaking.
Although the number of alliances still
lags the peak observed in 2006 (when
the US biotech industry witnessed
nearly 150 licensing deals), the 112
transactions signed in 2014 represent
a 16% year-over-year increase and the
volume is consistent with deal volumes

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

63

Deals

In 2014, biotech
companies realized
more value from
their licensing
efforts than in
recent memory.

40

160

35

140

30

120

25

100

20

80

15

60

10

40

20

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Chart shows potential value, including up-front and milestone payments,


for alliances where deal terms are publicly disclosed.
Source: EY, Medtrack and company news.

US strategic alliances based on upfront payments, 200714


Pharma-biotech

Biotech-biotech

Up-fronts/biobucks

4.0

12%

3.0

9%

2.0

6%

1.0

3%

0.0

2007

2008

2009

Source: EY, Medtrack and company news.

64

Number of deals

Number of deals

Biotech-biotech

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

0%

Up-fronts as a share of biobucks

Pharma-biotech up-fronts reached


US$3.0 billion in 2014, the highest level
since 2006. Biotech-biotech up-fronts
were a healthy US$774 million,
the second highest since 2008s
US$801 million.

Pharma-biotech

Potential value (US$b)

Up-front payments in 2014 skyrocketed


to US$3.8 billion, increasing 111%
year-over-year to the highest level since
before 2007. Perhaps more important,
biotechs in 2014 realized more up-front
value from their licensing efforts (11.8%)
than in recent memory. That is about a
five percentage point improvement from
2007, when buyers were willing to pay,
on average, just 7% of a deals potential
price tag at its signing.

US strategic alliances based on biobucks, 200714

Up-front value (US$b)

seen over the last five years. More


important, biotech partners are clearly
in a stronger negotiating position than
they were in years past. On average,
US biotechs that licensed products
in 2014 got commitments of nearly
US$330 million, the highest dollar total
since at least 2007.

Deals

European M&As, 200714


Pharma-biotech

Potential value (US$b)

Europe

Biotech-biotech

Pharma-biotech megadeals (>US$5b)

Number of deals

25

30

20

24

15

18

10

12

Number of deals

Deals

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Chart excludes transactions where deal terms were not publicly disclosed.
Source: EY, Capital IQ, Medtrack and company news.

For European biotechs, 2014 was the


second robust M&A year in a row as
median deal sizes reached a healthy
US$51 million. Deal volume remained
strong in 2014; the number of transactions
involving a European biotech (27)
increased 22% from 2013. Europe hasnt
seen that many biotech M&As since
2007, when 30 deals closed. Excluding
megadeals, total deal proceeds for the
year were the second highest observed
since 2007.
Similar to the US situation, pharmas were
responsible for most of the acquisition
activity, accounting for US$4.9 billion of
the US$6.9 billion in acquisition dollars.
As was also the case in 2013, when Shire
purchased ViroPharma for US$4.2 billion,
the 2014 annual deal total was heavily

influenced by a single deal: Medas


acquisition of Rottapharm. Other notable
transactions were Roches takeout of
Santaris Pharma, worth US$250 million
up front and another US$200 million
in earn-outs, and ProStrakan Groups
purchase of Archimedes Pharma for
US$379 million.
In concert with the rebound in
European M&A, it was an equally strong
year for European alliances, as the
average potential deal value reached
US$227 million. Indeed, the potential
value associated with European biotech
alliances in 2014 was the greatest since
2007. Much of the year-over-year growth
in deal values was driven by biotech
licensing, which increased more than
300% to a new high of US$4.6 billion.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

65

Deals

Pharma-biotech

Biotech-biotech

Number of deals

18

75

15

60

12
45
9
30
6
15

Number of deals

European up-front payments totaled more


than US$1.2 billion in 2014, representing
just 8% of the total European alliance
value. The up-front to biobucks ratio is
a sign that European biotechs still dont
have as much bargaining power as their
US counterparts. That is not surprising
given that the capital markets in Europe
have lagged behind those in the US.

European strategic alliances based on biobucks, 200714

Potential value (US$b)

Deal values for pharma-biotech alliances


grew a more modest 26% from 2013
to 2014; still, that represented the
second-highest dollar total of the past
eight years for such deal types. In addition,
it was the pharmas that brokered some of
the largest deals, including Pfizers alliance
with Cellectis (potentially worth US$2.9
billion) and Merck & Co.s partnership
with next-generation antibody developer
Ablynx (potentially worth US$2.4 billion).

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Chart shows potential value, including up-front and milestone payments,


for alliances where deal terms are publicly disclosed.
Source: EY, Medtrack and company news.

66

Pharma-biotech

Biotech-biotech

Up-fronts/biobucks

1.5

15%

1.2

12%

0.9

9%

0.6

6%

0.3

3%

0.0

2007

2008

2009

Source: EY, Medtrack and company news.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

0%

Up-fronts as a share of biobucks

The 2014 annual alliance numbers were


heavily influenced by the Celgene/Nogra
transaction. If this deal, which included a
US$710 million up-front, is excluded from
the annual total, then up-front payments
to European biotechs actually declined
below the level achieved in each of the last
two years. Moreover, up-front payments
as a percentage of the total alliance values
declined to just 5%.

European strategic alliances based on upfront payments, 200714

Up-front value (US$b)

Indeed, such data are consistent with the


continuing trend of EU companies choosing
to tap the US public markets instead of
exchanges closer to their home countries.
As we note in the accompanying article,
The European biotechs strategic decision:
list in Europe or the US? a certain cadre
of European biotechs are trying to tap
the more sophisticated investor base
associated with the US market.

Deals

The biotechnology
industrys strong
performance in
2014 across so
many different
metrics is a reason
to celebrate.
Indeed, the view
from the top is
pretty good.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

67

Appendix

Beyond borders 2015

Appendix

68

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Appendix

Acknowledgments

Project leadership

Data analysis

Design

Glen Giovannetti, EY Global Life Sciences


Leader, provided the strategic vision
for this report and brought his years of
experience to the analysis of industry
trends. He also brought a hands-on
approach, editing articles and helping to
compile and analyze data.

Lisa-Marie Schulte, Tanushree Jain,


Eva-Maria Hilgarth, Richa Arun and
Ashish Kumar conducted all of the
research, collection and analysis of
the reports data.

This publication would not look the way it


does without the creativity of Mike Fine,
who was the lead designer for this project.
This is the first Beyond borders report in
which he has been involved.

Additional analysis of the Canadian


financing data were provided
by Yann Lavalle, Lara Iob and
Mario Piccinin.

PR and marketing

Siegfried Bialojan, German Biotechnology


Leader, and Jrg Zrcher, EMEIA
Biotechnology Leader, provided guidance
on the development of the European
content. Siegfried also conducted the
interview with Jrn Aldag.
Ellen Licking and Gautam Jaggi, EYs
Life Sciences Lead Analysts, were
the reports lead authors and editors.
Iain Scott contributed insights and helped
draft the Financing, 2014 article.
As the project manager for Beyond
borders, Jason Hillenbach had
responsibility for the entire content
and quality of this publication. He
was also directly accountable for the
primary data analysis and research
throughout the report.

Kim Medland, Jason Hillenbach,


Amit Nayak and Ellen Licking conducted
fact-checking and quality review of the
numbers presented in the publication.

Public relations and marketing efforts


related to the report and its launch were
led by Katie Costello, Peter Kelley
and Sue Lavin Jones, with the help of
Greg Kelley from our external PR firm,
Feinstein Kean Healthcare.

Editing assistance
Russell Colton brought his incomparable
skills as a copy editor and proofreader to
this publication. His patience, hard work
and attention to detail were unparalleled.
Russ was assisted by Sue Brown.

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

69

Appendix

Data exhibit index


Biotechnology at a glance across the four established clusters, 2014 ............................... 5
FDA product approvals, 19962014 .............................................................................. 6
Since 2007, there has been a dramatic increase in the number
of US pre-commercial companies with market cap >US$1b........................................... 7
Growth in established biotechnology centers, 201314 .................................................15
EY Survival Index, 201314 ......................................................................................... 16
Revenues generated by US and European biotechnology
commercial leaders fuel investor sentiment ..............................................................17
Top 10 changes in US market capitalizations, 200914 .................................................18
Top 10 changes in European market capitalizations, 200914 .......................................18
US biotechnology at a glance, 201314 ........................................................................20
US pre-commercial companies with market cap >US$1b ................................................21
US commercial leaders, 201014 ................................................................................. 23
US commercial leaders and other companies, 201314 .................................................24
Selected US public company financial highlights by geographic area, 2014.....................25
US market capitalization relative to leading indices ........................................................26
US market capitalization by company size .....................................................................26
European market capitalization relative to leading indices ..............................................27
European market capitalization by company size ...........................................................27
European biotechnology at a glance, 201314 ..............................................................28
EU commercial leaders, 201014 .................................................................................30
European commercial leaders and other companies, 201314 .......................................30
Australian biotechnology at a glance, 201314 .............................................................31
Canadian biotechnology at a glance, 201314 ..............................................................32
Capital raised in the US and Europe, 200014 ...............................................................34
Innovation capital in the US and Europe, 200014.........................................................35
US and European early-stage venture investment, 200014 ..........................................36
US and European venture investment in early stage private companies holds steady .......37
US and European biotechnology IPO pricing, 201014 ..................................................38
US biotechnology financings, 200014 .........................................................................39
Quarterly breakdown of US biotechnology financings, 2014 ..........................................40
Innovation capital in the US, 200014 ..........................................................................40

70

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Appendix

Innovation capital raised by leading US regions, 2014....................................................41


US biopharmaceutical venture capital rebounds to its
highest levels since the financial crisis .......................................................................42
Top US venture financings, 2014.................................................................................. 43
US biotechnology IPOs, 200014 ................................................................................. 44
The anatomy of a US IPO window ................................................................................. 45
US biotechnology IPO pricing by quarter, 201314 ........................................................45
Top US IPOs, 2014 ...................................................................................................... 46
European biotechnology financings, 200014 ...............................................................47
Innovation capital in Europe, 200014 ..........................................................................48
Quarterly breakdown of European biotechnology financings, 2014 ................................48
Innovation capital raised by leading European countries, 2014.......................................49
The return of European venture capital .........................................................................49
Top European venture financings, 2014........................................................................50
European biotechnology IPOs, 200014 .......................................................................51
Top European IPOs, 2014 ............................................................................................ 52
Performance distribution of 2014 NASDAQ biotech IPOs (in %) ......................................53
US and European M&As, 200714 ................................................................................56
Big pharma continues to command the most firepower, even as its
relative share of total firepower declines to an eight-year low ..................................57
US and European strategic alliances based on biobucks, 200714 ..................................58
US and European strategic alliances based on up-front payments, 200714 ...................58
Bid premiums for top 10 M&As, 200914 .....................................................................59
Selected M&As, 2014 .................................................................................................. 60
Alliances with big up-front payments, 2014 ..................................................................61
Big biobucks alliances, 2014 ........................................................................................ 62
US M&As, 200714 ..................................................................................................... 63
US strategic alliances based on biobucks, 200714 .......................................................64
US strategic alliances based on up-front payments, 200714 .........................................64
European M&As, 200714 ........................................................................................... 65
European strategic alliances based on biobucks, 200714 .............................................66
European strategic alliances based on up-front payments, 200714 ...............................66

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

71

Appendix

Global biotechnology contacts


Global Life Sciences Leader

Glen Giovannetti

glen.giovannetti@ey.com

+1 617 374 6218

Global Life Sciences Assurance Leader

Scott Bruns

scott.bruns@ey.com

+1 317 681 7229

Global Life Sciences Advisory Leader

Kim Ramko

kim.ramko@ey.com

+1 615 252 8249

Global Life Sciences Tax Leader

Mitch Cohen

mitchell.cohen@ey.com

+1 203 674 3244

Jeff Greene

jeffrey.greene@ey.com

+1 212 773 6500

Brisbane

Winna Brown

winna.brown@au.ey.com

+61 7 3011 3343

Melbourne

Denise Brotherton

denise.brotherton@au.ey.com

+61 3 9288 8758

Sydney

Gamini Martinus

gamini.martinus@au.ey.com

+61 2 9248 4702

Austria

Vienna

Erich Lehner

erich.lehner@at.ey.com

+43 1 21170 1152

Belgium

Brussels

Lucien De Busscher

lucien.de.busscher@be.ey.com

+32 2 774 6441

Brazil

So Paulo

Frank de Meijer

frank-de.meijer@br.ey.com

+55 11 2573 3383

Canada

Montral

Sylvain Boucher

sylvain.boucher@ca.ey.com

+1 514 874 4393

Lara Iob

lara.iob@ca.ey.com

+1 514 879 6514

Toronto

Mario Piccinin

mario.piccinin@ca.ey.com

+1 416 932 6231

Vancouver

Nicole Poirier

nicole.poirier@ca.ey.com

+1 604 891 8342

Czech Republic

Prague

Petr Knap

petr.knap@cz.ey.com

+420 225 335 582

Denmark

Copenhagen

Christian Johansen

christian-s.johansen@dk.ey.com

+45 5158 2548

Finland

Helsinki

Sakari Helminen

sakari.helminen@fi.ey.com

+358 405 454 683

France

Lyon

Philippe Grand

philippe.grand@fr.ey.com

+33 4 78 17 57 32

Paris

Virginie Lefebvre-Dutilleul

virginie.lefebvre-dutilleul@ey-avocats.com +33 1 55 61 10 62

Franck Sebag

franck.sebag@fr.ey.com

Global Life Sciences Transaction Advisory Services Leader


Australia

Germany
Greater China

Dsseldorf

Gerd Strz

gerd.w.stuerz@de.ey.com

+49 211 9352 18622

Mannheim

Siegfried Bialojan

siegfried.bialojan@de.ey.com

+49 621 4208 11405

Shanghai

Titus Bongart

titus.bongart@cn.ey.com

+86 21 22282884

Felix Fei

felix.fei@cn.ey.com

+86 21 22282586

Hitesh Sharma

hitesh.sharma@in.ey.com

+91 22 6192 0950

V. Krishnakumar

krishnakumar.v@in.ey.com

+91 22 6192 0950

Mumbai

India

+33 1 46 93 73 74

Ireland

Dublin

Aidan Meagher

aidan.meagher@ie.ey.com

+353 1221 1139

Israel

Tel Aviv

Eyal Ben-Yaakov

eyal.benyaakov@il.ey.com

+972 3 623 2512

Italy

Japan

Milan

Gabriele Vanoli

gabriele.vanoli@it.ey.com

+39 02 8066 9840

Rome

Alessandro Buccella

alessandro.buccella@it.ey.com

+39 06 67535630

Antonio Irione

antonio.irione@it.ey.com

+39 06 6755715

Hironao Yazaki

yazaki-hrn@shinnihon.or.jp

+81 3 3503 2165

Yuji Anzai

anzai-yj@shinnihon.or.jp

+81 3 3503 1100

Tokyo

Patrick Flochel

flochel-ptrck@shinnihon.or.jp

+41 58 286 4148

Korea

Seoul

Jeungwook Lee

jeung-wook.lee@kr.ey.com

+82 2 3787 4301

Netherlands

Amsterdam

Dick Hoogenberg

dick.hoogenberg@nl.ey.com

+31 88 40 71419

72

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

Appendix

New Zealand

Auckland

Jon Hooper

jon.hooper@nz.ey.com

+64 9 300 8124

Norway

Trondheim/Oslo

Willy Eidissen

willy.eidissen@no.ey.com

+47 918 63 845

Poland

Warsaw

Mariusz Witalis

mariusz.witalis@pl.ey.com

+48 225 577950

Russia/CIS

Moscow

Dmitry Khalilov

dmitry.khalilov@ru.ey.com

+7 495 755 9757

Singapore

Singapore

Sabine Dettwiler

sabine.dettwiler@sg.ey.com

+65 9028 5228

Rick Fonte

richard.fonte@sg.ey.com

+65 6309 8105

South Africa

Johannesburg

Warren Kinnear

warren.kinnear@za.ey.com

+27 11 772 3576

Spain

Barcelona

Dr. Silvia Ondategui-Parra

silvia.ondateguiparra@es.ey.com

+34 93 366 3740

Sweden

Uppsala

Staffan Folin

staffan.folin@se.ey.com

+46 8 5205 9359

Switzerland

Basel

Jrg Zrcher

juerg.zuercher@ch.ey.com

+41 58 286 84 03

United Kingdom

Bristol

Matt Ward

mward@uk.ey.com

+44 11 7981 2100

Cambridge

United States

Cathy Taylor

ctaylor@uk.ey.com

+44 12 2355 7090

Rachel Wilden

rwilden@uk.ey.com

+44 12 2355 7096

Edinburgh

Mark Harvey

mharvey2@uk.ey.com

+44 13 1777 2294

Jonathan Lloyd-Hirst

jlloydhirst@uk.ey.com

+44 13 1777 2475

London/Reading

David MacMurchy

dmacmurchy@uk.ey.com

+44 20 7951 8947

Ian Oliver

ioliver@uk.ey.com

+44 11 8928 1197

Boston

Michael Donovan

michael.donovan1@ey.com

+1 617 585 1957

Chicago

Jerry DeVault

jerry.devault@ey.com

+1 312 879 6518

Houston

Carole Faig

carole.faig@ey.com

+1 713 750 1535

Indianapolis

Andy Vrigian

andy.vrigian@ey.com

+1 317 681 7000

Los Angeles

Don Ferrera

don.ferrera@ey.com

+1 213 977 7684

anthony.torrington@ey.com

+1 732 516 4681

David De Marco

dave.demarco@ey.com

+1 732 516 4602

Kim Letch

kim.letch@ey.com

+1 949 437 0244

Mark Montoya

mark.montoya@ey.com

+1 949 437 0388

Steve Simpson

stephen.simpson@ey.com

+1 215 448 5309

Howard Brooks

howard.brooks@ey.com

+1 215 448 5115

Raleigh

Mark Baxter

mark.baxter@ey.com

+1 919 981 2966

Redwood Shores

Scott Morrison

scott.morrison@ey.com

+1 650 496 4688

Chris Nolet

chris.nolet@ey.com

+1 650 802 4504

New York/New Jersey Tony Torrington

Orange County

Philadelphia

San Diego

Dan Kleeburg

daniel.kleeburg@ey.com

+1 858 535 7209

Seattle

Kathleen Smith

kathy.smith@ey.com

+1 206 654 6305

Washington, D.C.

Rene Salas

rene.salas@ey.com

+1 703 747 0732

Beyond borders Biotechnology Industry Report 2015

73

EY | Assurance | Tax | Transactions | Advisory


About EY
EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory
services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build
trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the
world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver
on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a
critical role in building a better working world for our people, for
our clients and for our communities.
EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or
more, of the member firms of Ernst&Young Global Limited,
each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global
Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide
services to clients. For more information about our organization,
please visit ey.com.
How EYs Global Life Sciences Sector can help your business
Life sciences companies from emerging to multinational are
facing challenging times as access to health care takes on new
importance. Stakeholder expectations are shifting, the costs and
risks of product development are increasing, alternative business
models are manifesting, and collaborations are becoming more
complex. At the same time, players from other sectors are
entering the field, contributing to a new ecosystem for delivering
health care. New measures of success are also emerging as the
sector begins to focus on improving a patients health outcome
and not just on units of a product sold.
Our Global Life Sciences Sector brings together a worldwide
network of more than 7,000 sector-focused assurance, tax,
transaction and advisory professionals to anticipate trends,
identify implications and develop points of view on how to
respond to the critical sector issues. We can help you navigate
your way forward and achieve success in the new health
ecosystem.
For more timely insights on the key business issues affecting life
sciences companies, please go to ey.com/VitalSigns. You can also
visit ey.com/lifesciences or email global.lifesciences@ey.com for
more information on our services. To connect with us on Twitter,
follow @EY_LifeSciences.
2015 EYGM Limited.
All Rights Reserved.
EYG No. FN0206
CSG no. 1411-1355695
ED None
This material has been prepared for general informational purposes only and is not
intended to be relied upon as accounting, tax, or other professional advice. Please
refer to your advisors for specific advice.
The views of third parties set out in this publication are not necessarily the views of
the global EY organization or its member firms. Moreover, they should be seen in the
context of the time they were made.

ey.com

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