Biotech Hangout

Josh Schimmer × Brian Skorney × Eric Schmidt × Brad Loncar

Scribe’s IPO raised roughly $120M for a TGA-cleared PCSK9 gene-silencing therapy, reopening the very-early-stage biotech window.Six biotech reverse mergers paired with $200M-plus PIPEs, including Xometry’s nearly $200M transaction into InMed, show a faster, increasingly IPO-like financing route.Next week’s RP1 and deramiocel AdComs could clarify whether FDA flexibility is emerging or negative findings signal a more stringent posture.

Sam Fazeli × Josh Schimmer × Eric Schmidt × Paul Matteis × Matt Herper

AstraZeneca’s eplontersen failed its ATTR cardiomyopathy outcomes trial, with Ionis reporting no benefit in the tafamidis-combination group, including no CV-biomarker effect.The readout improves Alnylam’s perception, but royalty-free Nucresiran must still show whether its adjunctive outcomes study preserves silencer-plus-tafamidis synergy; Agios’ mitapivat won priority review despite missing its co-primary VOC endpoint.Atumelnant’s liver-enzyme elevations remain a risk to monitor.

Graig Suvannavejh × Eric Schmidt × Paul Matteis × Oliver Barnes

Biotech is outperforming healthcare, with XBI up 10.5% year-to-date and Parabilis Medicines setting a $771M IPO record.Selective capital remains pivotal: Summit withdrew its $500M offering before the binary global HARMONi-3 readout, while Tango and Revolution reported a 90%+ response rate.Major deals and regulatory shifts offer catalysts, but financing needs, commercial competition, and follow-on capital allocation remain unresolved risks.

Sam Fazeli × Josh Schimmer × Eric Schmidt × Tess Cameron

Bristol Myers’ BMS–Hengrui deal gives Hengrui options to co-develop select assets and conduct certain commercialization activities globally, alongside up to $950M in payments and $15.2B potential value.China’s low-cost, high-speed innovation creates licensing opportunity now, but three-to-five-year global-commercialization plans could shift value capture toward Chinese developers; REGENXBIO’s held DMD filing and Biogen’s Phase 3 tau decision keep precedent and capital allocation in focus.

Eric Schmidt × Matt Gline × Chris Garabedian × Sam Fazeli × Graig Suvannavejh

Biotech’s IPO window remains open: ten deals have raised $3.2B YTD, with the respiratory IPO moving from $18 to near $29.Yet no governor limits the cycle, and generalists remain selective around de-risked clinical- or commercial-stage names.Lilly’s six acquisitions and $14.5B upfront make it a category of one, leaving 2026 M&A and the XBI’s shrinking lead to monitor.

Chris Garabedian × Paul Matteis × Tess Cameron × Adam Feuerstein

XBI strength, Kylera’s IPO above $625M before the shoe, and fresh S-1 and PIPE activity suggest financing is reopening, though the index now favors larger, liquid companies.Revolution Medicines’ 0.4 overall-survival hazard ratio in second-line pancreatic cancer and $2B raise could fund commercialization, while Travere’s proteinuria-based FSGS approval despite eGFR underperformance leaves Vertex’s high-risk enaxopin Phase 3 regulatory bar unresolved.

Daphne Zohar × Bruce Booth × Eric Schmidt

Biotech’s year-end pause looks like healthy stock-picker consolidation, with XBI near 124 while mediocre data from Pyxis and Nektar were heavily punished.Nearly $9B of October-November follow-ons is creating indigestion, as first-day performance increasingly sets discounts for subsequent deals.Confidential S-1 flips could fuel a Q1 IPO rush, but recycled issuers and a disrupted FDA policy backdrop make quality and execution the key risks.

Eric Schmidt × Yaron Werber × Tess Cameron × Sam Fazeli

Biotech M&A is setting records across stages: Alkermes appears to have won Avadel at $2.4B, while J&J paid $3B for Phase 1 Halda, the highest-priced Phase 1 acquisition ever per Tess Cameron.Competition is intensifying as pharma prices in 2026-27 patent cliffs, but 82% of surveyed companies worry about FDA function; early-program delays could last two or three years, while falling drug prices make volume response a key watchpoint.

Graig Suvannavejh × Paul Matteis × Brian Skorney × Yaron Werber × Chris Garabedian × Adam Feuerstein

George Tidmarsh’s CBER departure and UniQure’s rejected filing after FDA alignment expose a widening gap between flexible guidance and unpredictable execution.UniQure reported 80% disease slowing at two years and 75% at three years for high dose, while Sarepta’s failed ESSENCE study and December’s Stoke meeting will test evidence standards and early-filing appetite.

Chris Garabedian × Josh Schimmer × Nina Kjellson × Mike Yee × Tim Opler

Summit’s PD-1×VEGF bispecific missed overall survival at p=0.0575, sending shares down 25% despite a PFS hit and 20% lower mortality risk in Western patients.Tim Opler sees VEGF×PD-1 becoming oncology’s backbone, while Pfizer’s 3SBio license and Seagen acquisition give it control for ADC combinations.Macro uncertainty favors discounted commercial-stage M&A, and Gilead’s June 19 lenacapavir PDUFA will test FDA functionality.