1. Scrip
  2. >>Business
  3. >>Strategy

UK Biotech Learns the Hard Way

 
• By Melanie Senior

A bunch of UK biotech firms are in trouble, some forced to restructure and others to seek financing on miserably expensive terms. All wish they'd raised more money during the funding bonanza of 2000. Challenging times such as these reveal lingering cracks--and lack of experience--in strategy and business management. This suggests that UK industry, although it has matured significantly since the brutal blow to confidence dealt by a major product failure at British Biotech during the sector's tender early years, still has some way to go.

UK biotech is struggling through a winter almost as harsh as that brought on by British Biotech PLC during the mid-nineties. This time, though, it's not just about one product failure at one company. A bunch of firms are in trouble, some forced to restructure and others to seek financing on miserably expensive terms. All wish they'd raised more money during the funding bonanza of 2000.

Cancer play Antisoma PLC last month announced a highly dilutive four-for-three rights issue to raise £22 million, just months...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Scrip 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 Strategy

More from Business

Competition Weighs On Gilead’s CAR-Ts As Both See Sales Decline

 
• By Alaric DeArment

The quarter saw strong growth overall, but the company now expects sales of Yescarta and Tecartus to fall for the full year 2025 versus 2024 thanks to competition.

More Players, Better Pricing, Tough Equity Market: Royalty Deals Go Mainstream

 
• By Manas Mishra

Royalty deals are on track for another blowout year, but it’s not only because of a depressed biotech market. Large investment firms such as KKR are taking note.

50% Levy On India And Brazil, US Tariffs Leave Global Trade, Forecasts In Disarray

 
• By Vibha Ravi

50% tariffs on US imports from India, a range on others, an uncertain outcome of Section 232 investigations of pharma and talk of BRICS tariffs are making forecasting for the pharma industry extremely difficult, Scrip finds in this infographic analysis