HBM Healthcare sees healthy NAV rise but remains at a deep discount Swiss-listed HBM Healthcare Investments (HBMN.S) recorded an impressive 23% rise in NAV and saw a 36% gain in its share price in the 11 months to end November, according to its latest monthly update. However, the trust’s shares currently trade at an 18.5% discount to […]
US analysts target key Woodford Patient Capital investees The Neil Woodford-managed biotech/tech investment trust, Woodford Patient Capital Trust (WPCT), is finding itself under increasing pressure, with analysts at two separate US firms calling into question its two largest investments, Prothena (15.6% of NAV at 30 September ) and Oxford Nanopore (8.9%). Ireland-based but Nasdaq-listed Prothena […]
Biotech Growth Trust swaps out Celgene and Alexion for Amgen OrbiMed, the manager of the UK’s Biotech Growth Trust BIOG, has boosted the trust’s investment in Amgen at the expense of previous long-term holdings in Celgene and Alexion over the last month, according to the November portfolio update. Amgen is now the trust’s joint second largest investment (at 10% […]
Baillie Gifford-favourite Alnylam completes key US filing US biotech star and Baillie Gifford stock pick Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has completed its US regulatory application for patisiran, a treatment of adults with hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis (hATTR amyloidosis), putting the so-called RNA interference or “gene-silencing” therapeutic on track for approval in mid 2018. Patisiran may become Alnylam’s first […]
UK CAR-T firm Autolus provides update at ASH conference Autolus, which is a closely-watched chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy firm backed by three of the UK’s most prominent biotech investors, obtained an important validation of its technology recently with the publication of data on its dual targeting technology at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) conference over […]
Scottish Mortgage to benefit from Denali IPO – Baillie Gifford-managed Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust SMT looks set to receive a significant £85m windfall as a result of last week’s Nasdaq IPO of Denali Therapeutics, a US-based biotech in which it invested in 2016. Baillie Gifford was the lead investors in Denali’s $130m Series B financing round, investing […]
Gilead reassures with CAR-T therapy durability data – Leading US biotech and investment company favourite Gilead Sciences has reassured investors with an important clinical trial update for its high profile cancer therapy Yescarta, which was obtained via the $12bn purchase of Kite Pharmaceuticals earlier this year. Longer follow-up data from 108 advanced lymphoma patients treated with Yescarta […]
BioPharma Credit acquires royalty interest in diabetes drugs – In its third deal announced in rapid succession, BioPharma Credit has purchased from Royalty Pharma Investments (RPI) a 50% interest in a former Bristol-Myers Squibb-owned royalty stream on two AstraZeneca diabetes drugs. The royalty interested was acquired by RPI from Bristol Myers Squibb on 14 November 2017 and relates to sales of Onglyza […]
Gilead acquires Cell Design Labs to bolster CAR-T presence Leading US biotech Gilead Sciences is to acquire privately-held Cell Design Labs in a structured buy out valued at to $567m, including the 12.2% shareholding it already holds as a result of its $12bn acquisition of Kite Pharmaceuticals earlier this year. The Kite deal propelled Gilead […]
Isaly steps down from OrbiMed and Worldwide Healthcare Trust Veteran US biotech analyst and OrbiMed Capital founder Samuel Isaly has stepped down from his role as Managing Partner and separately as a director of UK-listed Worldwide Healthcare Trust WWH, which is managed by OrbiMed alongside Biotech Growth Trust BIOG. Isaly will be replaced at the New […]