Biotech giant Biocon is planning a substantial ₹4,500 crore qualified institutional placement (QIP) to address financial challenges stemming from structured venture debt that has been eroding the company's profitability. The move aims to increase Biocon's promoter stake in its subsidiary, Biocon Biologics, according to chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.
"I have a very strong business, but my profitability is being dragged down because of the structured venture debt that I took. This structured venture debt leads to a lot of provisioning that erodes or erases your profitability," Shaw explained in an exclusive interview.
The planned QIP would convert structured venture debt into raised promoter equity, increasing Biocon's stake in its Biologics unit. "That will then create a very strong balance sheet, and it will also create good profitability which is what this business can do," Shaw added.
Debt Reduction Strategy Following Major Acquisition
The financial restructuring comes in the wake of Biocon Biologics' significant $3.3 billion acquisition of Viatris's global biosimilars business in 2022. Since then, the company has been working to reduce approximately $1.2 billion in acquisition-related debt.
Biocon Biologics has previously received investments from several entities, including True North, Tata Capital Growth Fund, Goldman Sachs, and Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund ADQ. Shaw clarified that the company isn't planning to buy back all external investments: "I am not taking all of them back... some of them are straight equity which I will not touch, but many of them are structured debt and that is what we are taking out."
The QIP is expected to proceed "as soon as possible," according to Shaw, though no specific timeline was provided.
Strong Operational Performance Overshadowed by Debt Burden
For the quarter ended March, Biocon reported impressive operational results, with net profit surging 153% to ₹344 crore and consolidated total revenue reaching ₹4,454 crore, a 2% increase year-over-year.
"Today if I look at my business, I have 25% EBITDA on a little over a billion dollars of sales right now... we have generated $260 million of EBITDA, but then look at the profitability coming down due to all this provisioning," Shaw noted. "If I can remove all that, it will throw up good cash and profits."
The company's biologics division has been performing particularly well, delivering a 9% year-on-year revenue increase in Q4, driven by significant market share gains in the US and key tender wins in emerging markets. For the full fiscal year 2025, the division posted 15% growth.
Reconsidering Exit Strategy: Merger vs. IPO
In a notable strategic shift, Biocon is now considering merging its Biologics unit with the parent company instead of pursuing an initial public offering (IPO) as previously planned.
"Initially, we were obviously focused on an IPO for Biologics. Now, with all these market uncertainties, it's not the right time for an IPO," Shaw explained. "So how soon will that window open? We don't know. In the interim, our board said also, look at a merger, because that could also unlock value with all the things that are going on."
While the company continues to evaluate both options, Shaw indicated that the merger route could provide a "closer value unlocking opportunity" given current market conditions.
Ambitious Growth Plans in Biosimilars
Despite the financial restructuring, Biocon maintains ambitious growth plans for its biosimilars business. The company aims to become the world's third-largest biosimilars company within the next five years.
Biocon's global biosimilar launch plans over the next 12 to 18 months include aflibercept, bevacizumab, aspart, and denosumab. The company currently has a portfolio of 20 biosimilars, with ten approved and nine commercialized globally, including five launched in the US market.
In fiscal year 2025, four of Biocon's biosimilars each recorded sales exceeding $200 million, highlighting the growing commercial success of the company's biologics portfolio despite the financial challenges posed by acquisition debt.
The planned financial restructuring through the QIP represents a strategic move to strengthen Biocon's balance sheet while positioning its biologics business for continued global expansion and market leadership in the rapidly growing biosimilars sector.
