HEALTH CARE VENTURE CAPITAL
INVESTMENTS TOP $5.5 BILLION IN 2003 ACCORDING TO THE JENKS HEALTHCARE
BUSINESS REPORT
NEW CANAAN, CT – February 4,
2004 – During the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2003, health
care venture capital dollar volume rose 26% over the third quarter bringing
the total year volume to over $5.5 billion in 386 deals, according to
Jenks Healthcare Business Report, which tracks private and public equity
deals in health care.
Dollar Volume
A large increase in dollar volume occurred in the fourth quarter of
2003 which recorded nearly $1.8 billion in investments. The dollar volume
in 2003 in each of the quarters was as follows: $1.2 billion in the first
quarter, $1.1 billion in the second quarter, $1.4 billion in the third
quarter and $1.8 billion in the fourth quarter:

“Two large investments, Reliant
Pharmaceuticals led by Invemed
Catalyst Fund and United Biosource Corp. with three participating investors
- Whitney & Co., Oak Investment and Grotech Capital Group - dominated
the fourth quarter venture capital market in the health care sector.
Although these large $100 million plus deals bolstered the dollar volume in
the fourth quarter, the deal flow was down significantly and fell from 107
deals in the third quarter to 81 in the fourth quarter,” said Stephen M.
Monroe, managing editor of Jenks Healthcare Business Report.
“Despite this drop in deal count, health care, which includes
biopharmaceuticals, medical devices and other health care services, is
commanding an increasingly larger percentage of the venture capital market.”
Number of Deals
For 2003, there were 386 venture capital investments in the health
care sector. The lowest quarter was the fourth quarter. In 2003, the deal
volume was as follows: 90 in the first quarter, 108 in the second quarter,
107 in the third quarter, and 81 in the fourth quarter.

Venture Capital Rankings
In the fourth quarter, MPM Capital led in number of deals and dollar
volume when full credit is given to each participating investor. The $153
million United BioSource Corp. investment bolstered the rankings of
participating investors in that deal when full credit was given to each
participating investor.
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About Jenks Healthcare Business Report:
Jenks
Healthcare Business
and its
companion annual report, The Health Care Venture Capital Report, are
published by Irving Levin Associates, Inc., a leading health care financial
publisher established in 1948. The Firm has headquarters in New Canaan, CT
and is online at
www.levinassociates.com. This privately held corporation publishes
research reports and newsletters, and maintains merger and acquisition
databases on the health care and senior housing markets. For more
information on Jenks Healthcare Business Report, call 1-800-248-1668.
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