pike fisherman
28 Sep 2017
Nasdaq launch Nightstar up 20% on first day.
pharmaspecialist
04 Sep 2017
Nightstar IPO For those interested, the Sunday Times suggests that a valuation of £193M is being proposed when Nightstar floats on Nasdaq. At last, gene therapy seems to be coming of age.
oggs
20 Jun 2017
Re: Unique Investment Agreed. Far rather be in this sort of structure than trying to pick a winner from the assorted biotech companies on AIM. Without real specialised knowledge they are just pinsticking jobs.
pharmaspecialist
02 Jun 2017
Unique Investment My guess is that the majority of biotech investment funds and possibly biotech companies describe themselves as unique but in the case of Syncona I think this description may actually be justified. Access to some of the best brains and technologies in the UK through Syncona's close relationship with the Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research UK really is unique and is huge plus. The Wellcome Trust has a good track record in developing commercially valuable bioscience technology and some of the best scientists are employed there. Syncona also has management with plenty of successful commercial experience. The other important point is that the companies in Syncona's portfolio will not have to spend too much management effort on raising money when they need it (this can be a major headache) as Syncona has a very large pot of money available for follow on investments as well as new investments. Syncona has already got off to a brilliant start with an approximately fourfold return on Blue Earth Diagnostics which has a prostate cancer imaging agent expected to achieve peak US revenues of £260M in 2024. Unlike many biotech projections, this one is actually likely to be achieved as the product is approved and on the market in the US. Recent European approval will add to these revenues. The possible downside to Syncona is that, at the moment, most of the other portfolio companies are earlier stage and two are gene therapy companies which, as Oxford Biomedica investors have found, often take a long time to commercialise their products. Investors may want to wait until the excitement over Blue Earth has died down but, unlike the great majority of biotech investments, the people running Syncona have the scientific and commercial skills and the access to technology and capital to make a success of it. This is in sharp contrast to funds such as Woodford Patient Capital which just has the capital but little else, but which nevertheless has a buy recommendation from the IC today. Don't expect the IC to notice Syncona until the price has at least doubled from here. Plenty of other info on the Syncona web site and worth a visit for those interested, but would suggest that this is really for those willing to tie up their money for at least 5 years.
