The capital required for each stage of development varies, escalating significantly as a drug enters large clinical trials in the later stages of development. As a result of this growing demand for capital, different investor populations are generally involved in funding the very early versus very late stages of development.
The percentage of the company owned by founders declines significantly over time, despite significant increases in value with each successive round of financing. This effect is typically offset by the granting of stock options to founders and management in order to maintain their ownership positions at desired levels. (Series valuations based on Recombinant Capital estimates.1)
1. McCully, Michael G. Digging into the Data: The Latest Trends in Alliance Structures and Valuations. Drug Delivery Partnerships 2008. January 23, 2008.
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