Healthcare

Brief Healthcare: Sigma Healthcare (SIG AU): Rejecting the API Bid Is the Difficult but Right Choice and more

In this briefing:

  1. Sigma Healthcare (SIG AU): Rejecting the API Bid Is the Difficult but Right Choice
  2. CanSino Biologics (康希诺) IPO: Valuation Update (Part 3)

1. Sigma Healthcare (SIG AU): Rejecting the API Bid Is the Difficult but Right Choice

On Wednesday, Sigma Healthcare (SIG AU) rejected an indicative takeover offer from rival Australian Pharma Industries (API AU). Shareholders were disappointed with the news, with Sigma’s shares closing 12.3% lower at A$0.54 per share. API shares fared better and fell 3.6% to A$1.35 each.

We believe Sigma’s board were left with the tough choice of accepting a lowball offer or improving the existing business and riding out the inevitable share price fall. By rejecting the API bid, the Sigma board made the difficult but right choice, in our view. While further downside risk to the share price is limited, we caution that shareholders require patience as the road to share price recovery will be long.

2. CanSino Biologics (康希诺) IPO: Valuation Update (Part 3)

Cansino%20pipeline%20feb%202019

CanSino is a China-based biotechnology company with a focus on vaccine development. In our previous insight (link to Part 1 and Part 2), we have discussed CanSino’s drug pipeline, the competitive landscape, and the valuation. 

As the company is starting pre-marketing, we will provide an updated valuation based on new information obtained from the approved application document. Our base case valuation for CanSino is USD 856 million on a pre-money basis. Majority of the rNPV based SOTP valuation still comes from its meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV2 and MCV4). Over the past few months, the company has completed Phase III for MCV4 and submitted NDA (new drug application) for MCV2 candidates.

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