Over the next 12-24 months a number of companies in the sector may receive acquisition bids. The last company to be acquired was ResApp Health for $180 million by Pfizer in 2022. Three companies viewed as potential targets by Bioshares are discussed below.

Dimerix (DXB: $0.16) has signed a licensing deal for its lead compound, DMX-200, with Advanz Pharma. The deal gives Advanz rights to the use of DMX-200 for the treatment of FSGS (Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis) in Europe, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Over the next 12-24 months a number of companies in the sector may receive acquisition bids. The last company to be acquired was ResApp Health for $180 million by Pfizer in 2022. Three companies viewed as potential targets by Bioshares are discussed below.

Not surprisingly, Pharmaxis (PXS: $0.035) will sell off its mannitol drug business. The acquiror is Australian-based Arna Pharma.

Two highly successful life science companies that have emerged in the last decade in Australia are Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals (CUV: $15.64) and Nanosonics (NAN: $4.37). Whilst one is a pharmaceutical company and the other sells medical products (the Trophon disinfection instrument for ultrasound probes), there are several commonalities between the two businesses which make a comparison worthwhile.

By most measures, except for net profit, Polynovo (PNV: $1.28) has delivered an exceptionally strong year in FY2023. Revenue has increased by 59% to $66.5 million, the numbers of hospitals/customers has increased by 168 to 638, and its staff numbers have also surged by 66 to 218.

Having wrapped up the acquisition of Access Managed Services, Respiri (RSH: $0.03) has quickly moved to securing new initial patient monitoring contracts.

A robust 1H23 in recorded clinical trial sales amounting to US$27.3M was followed by a reduction of approximately 75% in 2H23, with sales totalling just US$6.7M. This marks a decline in overall clinical trial sales of 59% from the record reported in FY22 of US$82.5 million.

Imugene (IMU: $0.065) has announced it will acquire its fourth technology platform in cancer immunotherapy. The company is in-licensing an allogeneic CAR-T program, called Azer-Cel, from US company Precision Biosciences.

For FY2023, Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals (CUV: $18.15) achieved total revenues of $83 million, which was up 24% on the previous year. The net profit for the year increased by 47% to $30.6 million. The company finished the year with $157 million in cash.