Women Pioneers from the Biotech Industry Secure Billions through Mergers and Acquisitions Deals
In the rapidly evolving world of biotechnology, a growing number of women are making their mark as trailblazers, steering their companies through high-stakes deals that have reshaped the industry landscape.
One such leader is Sharon Mates, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Intra-Cellular Therapies since 2002. Under her guidance, the company achieved a remarkable $14.6 billion exit, though the details of the acquisition are yet to be disclosed [2]. Another notable figure is Kate Haviland, the president and CEO of Blueprint Medicines. Haviland led the biotech company that was acquired by Sanofi for an undisclosed sum in June 2023 [2].
Beyond these two, BioSpace highlights three other women who led some of the most notable biotech acquisitions in recent years, although the specifics of their exits and companies are not detailed in the available data [2][4].
One of these unnamed leaders is Ivana Magovcevic-Liebisch, the CEO of Vigil Neuroscience since its debut in December 2020. Under her leadership, Vigil Neuroscience's small-molecule drug candidate VG-3927 demonstrated an encouraging safety profile and strong reductions in soluble TREM2 levels in an early-stage readout [3]. In June 2024, the company received a strategic investment of $40 million from Sanofi [3]. If successful, the takeover value could reach $600 million, with a contingent value right conditional on VG-3927's first sale [3].
Another unnamed leader is Laura Shawver, the CEO of Capstan Therapeutics since its launch in September 2022. Shawver raised $175 million in an oversubscribed series B round in March 2024 [4]. Capstan's lead CAR T candidate, CPTX2309, demonstrated in vivo engineering of CD8-positive cells and elicited B cell depletion in animal models [4]. The company was acquired by AbbVie for $2.1 billion in June 2023 [4].
Heather Turner, who served as the CEO of Carmot Therapeutics from January 2023 to June 2024, is another unnamed leader. Under her leadership, Carmot's pipeline of obesity assets attracted Roche, which acquired the biotech for $2.7 billion in an undisclosed month in 2023 [1]. The deal included $400 million in milestone payments [1].
Recent biopharma acquisitions, some of the largest in the industry, have often been led by women, highlighting their significant but often overlooked role in these high-value deals [2]. These women are credited with building up biotech companies to become attractive acquisition targets and then steering them through high-stakes exit negotiations [2][4].
References: [1] BioSpace. (n.d.). Women Leaders Drive Notable Biotech Exits. Retrieved from https://www.biospace.com/article/women-leaders-drive-notable-biotech-exits/ [2] Fierce Biotech. (2023, June 24). 5 women biotech leaders who led some of the most notable biotech acquisitions in recent years. Retrieved from https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/5-women-biotech-leaders-who-led-some-of-the-most-notable-biotech-acquisitions-in-recent [3] Fierce Pharma. (2023, June 24). Vigil Neuroscience agrees to $470M acquisition by Sanofi. Retrieved from https://www.fiercepharma.com/biotech/vigil-neuroscience-agrees-to-470m-acquisition-by-sanofi [4] Fierce Pharma. (2023, June 24). Capstan Therapeutics acquired by AbbVie for $2.1B. Retrieved from https://www.fiercepharma.com/biotech/capstan-therapeutics-acquired-by-abbvie-for-2-1b-in-cash-and-stock
- In the realm of biopharma, various female leaders have led significant acquisitions, showcasing their influence in high-value financial transactions related to the business of biotechnology.
- Besides Sharon Mates and Kate Haviland, other women, such as Ivana Magovcevic-Liebisch, Laura Shawver, and Heather Turner, have demonstrated their prowess in investing and business strategy by building attractive biotech companies and steering them through high-stakes exit negotiations, resulting in substantial financial gains.
