As stated by a separate Form 4 filing, Baker Bros. Advisors, managed by Julian Baker and Felix Baker, snapped up 344,895 shares of BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:BCRX) over the past several days, at prices between $6.60 and $7.50 per share. The healthcare-focused fund currently owns approximately 14.57 million shares of the biotechnology company, which focuses on developing novel small molecule drugs that block key enzymes involved in the pathogenesis of diseases. BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:BCRX) is currently working on three development programs, which include a placebo-controlled clinical trial of orally-administered avoralstat in patients with HAE, called OPuS-2; the BXC7353 trial (which is structurally different from avoralstat, but employs a similar action mechanism of targeting plasma kallikrein); and the BCX4430 trial. RAPIVAB, one of the company’s products designed to treat acute uncomplicated influenza, was approved by the FDA back in 2014. However, the company sealed an agreement with Seqirus UK Limited in June 2015, which granted SUL rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize RAPIVAB. According to the agreement, the company received an upfront payment of $33.7 million and may also receive up to $12.0 million in additional payments. Allegedly, BioCryst Pharmaceuticals is believed to be a potential acquisition target, so it is worth keeping a close eye on the company. The number of hedge funds from our database with stakes in the company dropped to 14 from 25 during the third quarter, which was likely the result of the pullback from biotech stocks towards the end of the quarter. Peter Kolchinsky’s RA Capital Management owns 1.20 million shares of BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:BCRX) as of September 30.
Follow Julian Baker And Felix Baker's Baker Bros. Advisors
A Schedule 13G filing reveals that Steven Boyd’s Armistice Capital LLC owns 3.13 million shares of BioDelivery Sciences International Inc. (NASDAQ:BDSI), which constitute 5.9% of the company’s shares. This represents a large increase from the 1.48 million-share stake disclosed through the fund’s 13F for the September quarter. The specialty pharmaceutical company has two products that are approved by the FDA, while three other products are in development. The company recognized $1.2 million in product sales for the three-month period that ended September 30, from the launch of its BUNAVAIL. At the end of October 2015, BioDelivery Sciences International Inc. (NASDAQ:BDSI) and its partner Endo International plc – Ordinary Shares (NASDAQ:ENDP) announced that the FDA had approved BELBUCA, which triggered a milestone payment of $50 million from Endo. A total of 22 smart money investors from our system had BioDelivery Sciences in their portfolios at the end of September, accumulating 24.10% of its common stock. Kevin Kotler’s Broadfin Capital reported owning 4.74 million shares of BioDelivery Sciences International Inc. (NASDAQ:BDSI) through its 13F for the third quarter.
