Dechert Healthcare Deals Conference 2021

September 23, 2021

BMA, Tavistock Square, London | Hybrid Event

Across the world, record amounts of capital are being invested in PE, VC, M&A, collaboration and licensing deals across the life sciences and healthcare industry – an industry booming with energy driven by scientific revolution, the intersection of healthcare and technology, and the COVID-19 crisis.

This one-day event brought together senior pharma, biotech, PE and VC leaders across the life sciences and healthcare industry to network and share their outlook on trends and opportunities across the sector.

If you have any queries relating to this event, please contact Abby Cook.

If you are a reporter and would like any further information, please contact Dechert's Press Team.

Watch the Individual Panel Recordings

Dechert partnered with the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA), L.E.K Consulting and Public Policy Projects (PPP) to host the Healthcare Deals Conference 2021. Held on Thursday, 23 September, this year’s in-person event was held at BMA House, Tavistock Square in London. Attendees unable to join us in London had the opportunity to join via our virtual platform, where the conference was streamed live with virtual networking offered.

Welcome and Introduction

Corporate partner Robert Darwin and L.E.K. Consulting partner Adrienne Rivlin provide an overview of the current state of the healthcare deals market, followed by a keynote address from Public Policy Projects chair Stephen Dorrell.

Venture Capital: Mirroring the Success of the U.S. Ecosystem in Europe

Our first panel brought together prominent venture capital investors to discuss opportunities in the European and U.S. markets, including those therapeutic areas and scientific developments that interest them most. This panel also discussed the risks and regulatory challenges that face the industry over the coming months.

Fireside Chat: Building an mRNA Giant and “Saving the World from COVID” – the Story of BioNTech

Biopharma thought leader Annalisa Jenkins led an informative and engaging conversation with Sean Marett, CBO of BioNTech, in which he discussed the origins of the company, the challenges it faced, its rise to global prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic and its plans going forward.

Capital Markets: Strategies for Success on the European and U.S. Capital Markets

An enduring theme of U.S. and European capital markets over the past few years has been the market appetite for a range of health care and pharma IPOs and capital raisings. This panel discussed capital raising activity across Europe and the U.S., specifically companies that have sought access to the U.S. capital markets from a European base.

Private Equity and Pharma: The Increasing Allure of Clinical-Stage Pharma Opportunities

Over the past few years, the interest in investing in later, clinical stage assets by private capital-backed vehicles has only increased. Funds that had traditionally invested in early-stage VC opportunities began to develop and raise capital for later stage opportunities (and post-approval continuation). Significant funds have been raised for this purpose. Additionally, a further theme of the market has been the increased interest by traditional leveraged buy-out funds to invest in unapproved assets in quite a different model to the typical buy-out. Additionally, other innovative fund structures have emerged, offering to risk share in relation to pre-approved assets in innovative ways. This panel explored the capital available for assets from Phase II onwards, how the market has developed, structures that are employed, market trends, and observations about where we might be headed.

Private Equity and Healthcare: The Boom in Healthcare Deal-making

Amid a wave of rising demand for health care globally and accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, private equity investment in the health care industry has surged over 20 times in the last decade. This panel discussed the views of leading dealmakers on the opportunities, challenges and trends at play for health care PE investing.

Licensing and Collaboration: Market Overview and Trends

Licensing and strategic collaboration across the industry continues to thrive with a range of deals in 2021. This panel explored the key trends across the market.