Call the Plumber: PIPE Logic is Leaky

Extraordinary times for capital markets have made cheap public biotechs attractive to venture investors. These private investments in public equity (PIPEs) are seen by some as a lifeline to a troubled and undervalued sector, and many VCs are considering significant public investments. But few deals are likely to get done as venture funds set a high bar for investment, regardless of fire-sale prices. Recipients of large PIPE deals may indeed provide venture-like returns for private investors, but an analysis of these financings shows why they are the exceptions that prove the rule.