In a just published Form 13, filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Versartis Inc. (NASDAQ:VSAR) reported that Sofinnova Venture Partners Viii, L.p. has picked up 1,658,865 of common stock as of 2017-03-17.
The acquisition brings the aggregate amount owned by Sofinnova Venture Partners Viii, L.p. to a total of 1,658,865 representing a 4.7% stake in the company.
For those not familiar with the company, Versartis, Inc. is an endocrine-focused biopharmaceutical company. The Company is engaged in developing long-acting recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH), somavaratan (VRS-317), for growth hormone deficiency (GHD), an orphan disease. The Company’s product pipeline includes VRS-317 and XTEN Technology. The Company’s VRS-317 combines the rhGH amino acid sequence utilized in approved rhGH products with a half-life extension technology, XTEN, to enable less frequent administration. The XTEN technology consists of hydrophilic amino acids added at the genetic level as part of the manufacturing process. The Company’s XTEN is a recombinant polypeptide designed to extend the in vivo half-life of peptides and proteins in a tunable manner. The XTEN sequence consists of hydrophilic amino acids and possesses various additional properties, which are used for the development of protein pharmaceuticals.
A glance at Versartis Inc. (NASDAQ:VSAR)’s key stats reveals a current market capitalization of 646.60 Million based on 35.05 Million shares outstanding and a price at last close of $18.98 per share.
Looking at insider activity, there are a few transactions worth noting.
Specifically, on 2017-02-13, Perceptive picked up 59,133 at a purchase price of $15.51. This brings their total holding to 4,229,563 as of the date of the filing.
On the sell side, the most recent transaction saw Malik unload 103,122 shares at a sale price of $19.08. This brings their total holding to 2,105,228.
It’s possible to gauge a company’s potential by tracking the activity of its major holders, as well as checking in on insider activity such as those transactions listed above. We’ll be keeping an eye on Versartis Inc. (NASDAQ:VSAR) as things move forward to see if its progress aligns with these transactions.
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