Following a pair of $10bn+ deals in Q4 2023 and a $16.5bn takeout in Q1, the second quarter saw no acquisition priced as high as $5bn, Evaluate notes. Aggregate deal volume and values dropped from Q1.

In its Beyond Borders 2024 report, coinciding with the start of the BIO meeting, EY analysts see declining revenues for big pharma, which could be addressed by M&A, if the right takeouts exist.

Veteran developers stay on to accelerate development of potential first-in-class drug to challenge Bayer/Regeneron’s Eylea and Roche’s Vabysmo in a deal worth up to $3bn.

Money may have become too tight to mention for many biotechs and the IPO window in Europe is not just shut but boarded up. However, big pharma’s need to replenish the pipeline has become urgent and the major players are looking to tap into the continent’s early-stage companies which are driving innovation and provide them with much-needed cash.