Biopharma’s correction? 2022 1Q investments are both up and down

Could investments in biopharmaceutical companies in 2022 be as aggressive as 2021, which saw a record 1,968 biopharma deals worth about $213.5 billion? So far, 2022 may be the lowest financing year since 2017 overall. But, drilling down to venture capital, private companies raised $5.7 billion in Q1 through 129 transactions, making it the second-best first quarter in history with 2021 at the top. Apparently, investors and private companies have maintained their appetite into 2022. Simultaneously, deal volume is down but values are up, which means that biopharma executives are realizing they can gain access to innovative technologies for a lot less money through licensings and collaborations. BioWorld Senior Analyst Karen Carey explores the data with staff writer Lee Landenberger, explaining what happened in Q1 and where Q2 is headed.