Luck favors the prepared

A year’s worth of preparation for a U.S. IPO put Swiss biotech AC Immune S.A. (NASDAQ:ACIU) in the perfect position to thread the needle between the Brexit fallout and volatility around the U.S. elections. That the company went out during one of the best weeks for biotech stocks last quarter was lucky.

Co-founder and CEO Andrea Pfeifer said AC Immune started meeting with U.S. investors to lay the groundwork for an IPO last year. She said the company targeted this year for its IPO because it was able to meet key milestones, including the start of a Phase III trial for lead program crenezumab in patients with prodromal to mild Alzheimer’s disease. ...