Call the Plumber: PIPE Logic is Leaky
Executive Summary
Extraordinary times for capital markets have made cheap public biotechs attractive to venture investors. These private investments in public equity (PIPEs) are seen by some as a lifeline to a troubled and undervalued sector, and many VCs are considering significant public investments. But few deals are likely to get done as venture funds set a high bar for investment, regardless of fire-sale prices. Recipients of large PIPE deals may indeed provide venture-like returns for private investors, but an analysis of these financings shows why they are the exceptions that prove the rule.