Finance Watch: 2019 Ended With Near-Record VC Financings, But Some Slowing Expected In 2020

Private Company Edition: VC deals fell short of the record-breaking level seen in 2018 and financings may slow a bit more in 2020. Also, UPMC and Frazier close new VC funds, and Emendo raises $61m for gene-editing platform.

Venture capital investment in biopharmaceutical companies during 2019 fell from the records set in 2018, but still came in second place by a wide margin, according to recent year-end wrap-ups – Silicon Valley Bank (SVB)’s annual Healthcare Investments & Exits report and the Venture Monitor report from Pitchbook and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA).

SVB said drug developers in the US and Europe raised $15.64bn in 2019 versus $17.1bn in 2018, while Pitchbook and the NVCA said 866 biopharma firms brought in $16.6bn globally last year versus 831 that garnered $18.6bn in the prior year

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Quick Listen: Scrip’s Five Must-Know Things

12 May 2025

• By Ian Haydock

In this week's episode: industry makes its case to Trump; Sarepta slammed by double blow; Chinese firms build obesity pipeline; Swiss biopharma staying strong; and Merck & Co looks to immunology and ophthalmology.