Biopharma companies closed out 2016 with $9.6 billion in financing. (See Exhibit 1.) Not only was this a 30% increase over Q3's $7.4 billion, it was also the strongest quarter of the year. Despite the positive close to 2016, overall the biopharma industry raised significantly less in funding than it did in 2015. The total aggregate financing for 2016, $27.5 billion, was half of 2015's $53.4 billion. (See Exhibit 2.) Dealmaking overall in biopharma was slow in 2016 compared with the previous year as a result of much financial and political uncertainty.
Biopharma Quarterly Dealmaking Statistics, Q4 2016
A look at financing, M&A and alliance activity October–December 2016
Biopharma companies closed out 2016 with $9.6 billion in financing, the strongest quarter of the year. M&A deals reached $12.2 billion in value, led by Lonza's takeover of Capsugel; most of the fourth quarter's largest partnerships were built around innovative platforms in antibodies, peptides and gene therapy.
More from Deal-Making
• By
Laura Lane, European head of Lilly Ventures, talked to In Vivo at the recent Bio-Europe meeting in a fireside chat about how strategic investments are shaping the future of biotech, Lilly's approach to early-stage innovation, and the evolving European investment landscape.
• By
TechBio stands at a critical inflection point, where computational innovation meets the reality of biopharma. Industry leaders have begun to cut through the hype and identify where sustainable value truly lies in this rapidly evolving landscape.
• By
Three $1bn+ alliances were penned in February, and one exceeded $2bn.
• By
An interactive look at pharma, medtech and diagnostics deals made during February 2025. Data courtesy of Biomedtracker.
More from In Vivo
• By
Despite the significant presence of East Asian professionals in the pharmaceutical industry, their representation in top leadership roles remains disproportionately low. This disparity can be attributed to cultural bias, limited access to influential networks, and systemic barriers within corporate structures.
• By
The world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies mostly saw growth in 2024 but 2025 promises to be more of a mixed bag with headwinds including losses of exclusivity, Medicare Part D redesign and challenges in the Chinese market.
• By
Farideh Bischoff, chief medical officer of Heranova Lifesciences, discusses the urgent need for better diagnostic options and the latest innovations transforming care for endometriosis patients.