2014年7月22日讯 /生物谷BIOON/ --根据美国媒体统计，在刚刚过去的2014年，各大风投公司在生物医药领域投放的资金达到了18亿美元之多，这也比去年同期水平激增了约30％左右。相关分析人士表示，造成这一现象的重要原因是，从去年延续至今的生物医药产业IPO热潮为各大风投公司提供了一次绝好的投资机会。同时市场对生物医药公司研发的追捧也促使生物医药产业的兼并重组，这无形中又促进了风投公司的投资热情。
然而，随着今年两个季度的IPO热潮，今年生物医药公司IPO的势头似乎已经呈现出衰退的趋势。一些生物技术公司由于未能在资本市场上获得足够的重视而被迫放弃了IPO计划。不过这是否是生物医药投资市场的拐点还需要时间来验证。
详细英文报道：
Biotechs raked in a whopping $1.8 billion in venture cash last quarter, the industry's biggest haul since PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association started keeping track in 1995.
According to PwC and NVCA's latest MoneyTree Report, based on data from Thomson Reuters, biotech's record sum came from 122 deals, representing a 61% jump in dollars and a 9% increase in transactions over the previous quarter. The total was propped up by a couple of megadeals--Intarcia Therapeutics' $200 million raise and Proteus Digital Health's $119.5 million round--but, subtracting those outliers, biotech still pulled off a nearly 30% jump over the prior period.
The industry's stellar fundraising quarter is due in part to a virtuous cycle for biotechs, PwC life sciences partner Greg Vlahos said. The IPO boom has provided VCs with some very real exit opportunities, he said, and the public markets' warm reception to drug developers has pushed M&A valuations skyward. Combined, those factors have led to a great deal of liquidity for investors, allowing VCs to quickly put together new funds and back more companies.
"It is a cycle that we see, and a positive cycle," Vlahos told FierceBiotech. "So that does bode well for the industry."
Whether it can keep rolling remains to be seen, however. The market for biotech IPOs has recently taken a turn for the bearish after two quarters of widespread success, forcing a few entrants to cancel, delay or significantly reduce their offerings. If Wall Street interest dries up, VCs might start to see exit signs switching off, thereby constraining their willingness to invest.
But Vlahos believes things will largely stay on the up and up. It would be unrealistic to expect a run of double-digit biotech debuts every quarter, he said, but companies with strong stories and promising assets should still be able to make it out the IPO window, however narrow.
"I would say we're cautiously optimistic," Vlahos said, adding that the VCs he talks to expect a market correction, but nothing on the level of a sector-wide downturn.
Meanwhile, a stable of biotech's biggest backers is out raising new funds. Last week, Sofinnova Ventures, Versant Ventures and Essex Woodlands each revealed fundraising plans, seeking a combined $1.6 billion to fuel new investments. The three join a bevy of biotech VCs amassing or unveiling new funds over the last 12 months, following Arch Venture Partners and its April filing to raise a $250 million 8th fund. In February, the U.K.'s Abingworth closed a $375 million raise, while early-stage backer 5AM Ventures revealed a $250 million second close in December, and VC giant OrbiMed launched a $735 million fund the month prior.
