1. In Vivo
  2. >>Deal-Making

Science 37 Blockbuster SPAC Valuation Points To Growth In Decentralized Trials

 
• By Ben Comer

Expanding partnerships with CROs, the COVID-19 lockdown, an eager FDA and an industry desire for faster and more diverse clinical trial recruiting helped Science 37, a decentralized clinical trial company, nail down plans to go public. Science 37 CEO David Coman spoke with In Vivo about the reasons for going public via SPAC, and why decentralization is a “prerequisite to operating a clinical trial today.” 

Decentralized trials

Founded in 2014, Los Angeles-based Science 37 announced in May that it would trade on the public market through a merger with LifeSci Acquisition II Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). The deal, which is expected to close in the third quarter, will value Science 37 at $1.05bn, and Coman said he hopes the stock price will “get to $100 in short order, and we’re going to have to earn it.” LifeSci Acquisition II Corp., the blank check or SPAC party in the deal, was priced at just over $10 at close of trade on 21 May, 2021. SPACs became an increasingly popular route to market for health care companies in 2020. (Also see "SPACs Surge In 2020" - In Vivo, 15 February, 2021.)

For Science 37, the decision to go public using a SPAC rather than a traditional IPO came down to three...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on In Vivo for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required
Start Free Trial

Already a subscriber?

More from Deal-Making

Deals Shaping The Industry, May 2025

 
• By In Vivo Team

An interactive look at pharma, medtech and diagnostics deals made during May 2025. Data courtesy of Biomedtracker.

Bringing Israeli Medical Device Candidates To The Right Partners In The US

 
• By Ashley Yeo

Despite regional unrest, it is business as usual for medtech innovators and investors in Israel as evidenced by continued high-value M&A of locally developed technologies. Irit Yaniv, co-chair of the medtech session at the upcoming BioMed Israel 2025, explained the unique dynamics of Israeli medtech innovation.

Deals In Depth: April 2025

 
• By Deanna Kamienski and Maureen Riordan

Four $1bn+ alliances were penned in April, and one exceeded $2bn.

Deals Shaping The Industry, April 2025

 
• By In Vivo Team

An interactive look at pharma, medtech and diagnostics deals made during April 2025. Data courtesy of Biomedtracker.

More from In Vivo

Podcast: Flagship’s Vision To Predict And Prevent Illness, With Raj Panjabi

 
• By David Wild

Flagship Pioneering senior partner Raj Panjabi discusses shifting health care from reactive treatment to AI-powered prediction and prevention of disease before symptoms emerge.

Rising Leaders 2025: Namrata Saroj On The Importance Of Authenticity In Ophthalmology

 
• By Sushmita Panda

Namrata Saroj, chief business officer of Ocular Therapeutix, is highly respected in the retina community for her contributions to drug development. She talked to In Vivo about her journey in ophthalmology, leadership philosophy and the importance of authenticity in a close-knit specialty.

Johnson & Johnson MedTech: How To Scale Digital Solutions

 
• By Natasha Barrow

J&J's EMEA head of digital solutions, Julia Fishman, talks about the hurdles in scaling digital innovation and what’s up next on J&J’s innovation road map. Robot-assisted surgery pioneer Ivo Broeders gives his perspective on the difficulties in clinical adoption.