IMPROVING TRENDS FOR LIFE SCIENCE INVESTMENT

Silicon Valley Bank, financial partner to technology and life science companies and their investors worldwide, released "Continued Rebound: Trends in Life Science M&A." This report examines the merger and acquisition behavior of private, venture capital-backed biotech and medical device companies.

Based on an analysis of private merger or acquisition transactions of US venture capital-backed companies since 2005, Silicon Valley Bank found a rebound in "Big Exits" among life science companies. Big Exits were defined as acquisitions where the upfront payment totaled in excess of $50 million for device companies and $75 million for biotech companies: Silicon Valley Bank recorded35 Big Exits in 2011: seven-year high, 12.5 billion invested in life science: a seven-year high and Increased upfront deal values

Indications receiving the largest investments since 2005: Biotech: Oncology, CNS, Anti-Infectives; Device: Diagnostics, Orthopedics, Cardiovascular

Sectors with the highest multiples, versus dollars deployed since 2005: Biotech: Respiratory, Cardiovascular, Oncology, Device: Surgical, Vascular, Tools

The full report, "Continued Rebound: Trends in Life Science M&A", is available here. A tandem report, examining the current and emerging trends in life science investments, "First Mover Advantage: The Case for Investing in Life Science," is also available.

"Our data shows positive momentum in exits in the life science industry," said Jonathan Norris, Managing Director with SVB Capital's Venture Capital Relationship Management team and author of the report. "In 2011 we saw the most VC-backed big exits, generating the largest amount of liquidity in biotech and device, since we started tracking this data in 2005. While this does not correct the poor overall returns for the last decade, these dynamics position life science as an attractive investment opportunity now and in the future."

Silicon Valley Bank works with 50 percent of life science-focused VC firms and life science companies nationwide, specializing in companies in biotech and medical device fields.