Why the M&A Boom Will Spill Into 2020

The biotech industry is breaking out, with the sector witnessing tremendous growth in the later part of 2019. With the stocks surging, it looks like the new year is setting up to a strong start that could continue well up into 2020.

Despite the anxiety over the feared government price controls in the drug sector, the early thinking in the biotech world remains optimistic. In fact, the stage seems to be set for even bigger news come 2020. This prediction comes on the heels of the over $7 billion deals closed just this summer alone.

To date, approximately $100 billion total potential value of research and development have been spent by biotech companies since June 2019, with $11 billion paid upfront in cash.

Among those deals, the biggest so far is Bristol-Myers Squibb’s (BMY) $74 billion acquisition of Celgene (CELG). Another massive agreement is Novartis AG’s (NOVN) $9.7 billion acquisition of The Medicines Company (MDCO).

Eli Lilly and Co’s (LLY) $8 billion takeover of rare genetic mutation drug Vitakvi creator, Loxo Oncology (LOXO), also signified notable movements in the industry along with Johnson and Johnson’s (JNJ) $5.8 billion buyout of robotic surgery company Auris Health. Even Roche Holding AG (ROG) is expected to complete its $4.3 billion merger with gene therapy company Spark Therapeutics (ONCE) before the year ends.

Not far behind are Merck and Co’s (MRK) $2.7 billion acquisition of ArQule (ARQL) as well as Sanofi SA’s (SAN) $2.5 billion buyout of clinical-stage DNA base pair treatment company Synthorx Inc (THOR).

The majority of the deals were in the oncology space, with three times as many oncology deals made compared to the number two sector, the neurology sector. To put things in perspective, seven of the top 10 deals made in 2019 involved oncology treatments.

What can we expect in 2020?

A number of drug candidates remain in the pipeline, but one mid-cap biotech company is anticipated to make big bucks next year. The catch? It’ll need the help of a bigger and more established company to make it happen. That is, this promising company has become the most eligible buyout candidate for 2020.

Amarin Corporation (AMRN) has taken center stage when it became the first-ever company to hit positive results for its prescription omega-3 treatment, Vascepa -- a feat that none of the other biotech giants managed to accomplish. Actually, competitor GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) created its own omega-3 treatment, Lovaza, only to have it fail to reach its goal.

Barring any major setback, Vascepa is slated as the next blockbuster treatment in the cardiovascular disease space -- possibly even displacing Pfizer’s (PFE) Lipitor as the king of this segment. In fact, several major healthcare groups like the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, the European Society of Cardiology have already endorsed Vascepa as an effective treatment for LDL cholesterol.

The Amarin medication is projected to peak at $4 billion in annual revenues by 2028. Considering that its manufacturer’s reported third-quarter earnings this 2019 is only at $112.4 million, the approval of Vascepa will undoubtedly be a game-changer for its investors.

However, Vascepa’s incredible potential along with the fact that Amarin has no other drug candidate in its pipeline makes the company ripe for a takeover. For one, it’s not financially capable of juggling both the marketing of Vascepa and developing or building a solid pipeline to support its growth. With the omega-3 treatment’s projected blockbuster status, a bigger and more established company could undoubtedly be more fit to help it reach its potential.

Who are the potential suitors?

Three heavyweights have been repeatedly linked to Amarin: Pfizer, Novartis, and Amgen (AMGN). Since all three have a budding cardiovascular unit, it could be anyone’s game.

However, Novartis’ recent acquisition of The Medicines Company makes it the least likely candidate in the list right now. After all, the latter already has a potential blockbuster cholesterol-lowering drug in Inclisiran.

That paves the way for a new suitor in the form of Gilead Sciences (GILD). Just a few weeks ago, Gilead added Vascepa to one of its ongoing trials involving nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Whether or not this signifies interest in buying out Amarin is anybody’s guess.

Heading into the next year, the biotech sector is expected to welcome the new year with strong fundamentals and great opportunities for outperformance. While the election may bring changes to policies, the ongoing growth and innovation in this industry make it impossible to be excited for what’s in store for the future.

After all, more and more life-extending and even life-saving treatments are getting discovered by the day. Aside from following the developments in the industry, why not use your knowledge to fatten your pocketbook along the way?