In: Finance
You are evaluating to make an investment in a small biotech start-up which will require an investment of $2.1 million. The start-up is expecting to generate free cash flows of $200,000 during the first year. After one year, the insurance companies will decide if the start-up’s drug will be covered in their plans or not. If they decide to not cover the drug, the company will be able to generate free cash flows of $400,000 during the next 12 years (the period of the patent) and zero after that. If the insurance companies decide to cover the drug, the start-up will be able to generate free cash flows of $800,000 during the next 12 years (the period of the patent) and zero after that. Furthermore, the start-up can also decide to sell the patent to a larger biotech company for $2.5 million after knowing the answer of the insurance companies (end of year 1), whether they cover it or not. You expect that the insurance companies will approve the drug with a 70% probability and you require a 20% return. What is the NPV of the investment?” Select one: a. $418029 b. $582223 c. $763301 d. $796634 e. $1302628
Let us calculate the PV of cash flows for each possibility
PV Factor = 1/(1+r)n, where r is the required rate of return and n is the year
PV = CFn*PV Factor
Case 1 - Drug Not Covered (p = 0.30)
Year | Cash Flow | PV Factor | PV |
0 | -2100000 | 1.00 | -2100000.00 |
1 | 200000 | 0.83 | 166666.67 |
2 | 400000 | 0.69 | 277777.78 |
3 | 400000 | 0.58 | 231481.48 |
4 | 400000 | 0.48 | 192901.23 |
5 | 400000 | 0.40 | 160751.03 |
6 | 400000 | 0.33 | 133959.19 |
7 | 400000 | 0.28 | 111632.66 |
8 | 400000 | 0.23 | 93027.22 |
9 | 400000 | 0.19 | 77522.68 |
10 | 400000 | 0.16 | 64602.23 |
11 | 400000 | 0.13 | 53835.19 |
12 | 400000 | 0.11 | 44862.66 |
13 | 400000 | 0.09 | 37385.55 |
NPV | -453594.42 |
Case 2 - Drug Covered (p = 0.70)
Year | Cash Flow | PV Factor | PV |
0 | -2100000 | 1.00 | -2100000.00 |
1 | 200000 | 0.83 | 166666.67 |
2 | 800000 | 0.69 | 555555.56 |
3 | 800000 | 0.58 | 462962.96 |
4 | 800000 | 0.48 | 385802.47 |
5 | 800000 | 0.40 | 321502.06 |
6 | 800000 | 0.33 | 267918.38 |
7 | 800000 | 0.28 | 223265.32 |
8 | 800000 | 0.23 | 186054.43 |
9 | 800000 | 0.19 | 155045.36 |
10 | 800000 | 0.16 | 129204.47 |
11 | 800000 | 0.13 | 107670.39 |
12 | 800000 | 0.11 | 89725.32 |
13 | 800000 | 0.09 | 74771.10 |
NPV | 1026144.48 |
Hence, NPV = 0.30 * NPV(Case 1) + 0.70 * NPV(Case 2) = 0.30(-453594.42) + 0.70(1026144.48) = $582222.81
Hence, the correct option is (b) $582223