'Big hedge funds call on doctors, scientists for an edge on pharma'

 Some of the world's largest hedge funds are hiring doctors, scientists and analysts to give them expert insight into the prospects for pharmaceutical stocks after big share swings in the sector, eight sources told Reuters.

This year has seen sharp stock moves as companies report financial results and update investors on early and mid-stage drug studies.

Abbvie shares opened 11% lower on Nov. 11 after the company announced its mid-stage schizophrenia drug trials had failed. The same day, rival Bristol Myers Squibb shares rose almost 13% in pre-market trade.

Shares of Novo Nordisk, one of Europe's biggest listed companies, surged more than 7% in one day following November third-quarter guidance including better-than-expected sales of its popular Wegovy weight-loss drug.

Hedge funds, known for splashing out to gain a technological or research-based edge on market trends, are paying attention. Some of the biggest multi-strategy hedge funds are now looking to hire doctors and medical scientists globally and in Europe, said two people with knowledge of the firms' mandate for recruitment that has kicked off in the past six months.

These include Balyasny, D.E. Shaw, Point72, Schonfeld, Qube and Squarepoint, together overseeing more than $200 billion in assets, the sources said. All the funds declined to comment. Hedge funds employ such experts in research departments to provide insights on company growth prospects, including any early-stage drug trials ultimately gaining regulatory approval, said another recruiter and two investors

All spoke on condition of anonymity because the details are private.

Multi-strategy hedge funds, which are among the largest in the industry, pursue diverse investment approaches under the same roof.

Some use independent teams called "pods", within which researchers work as part of a team led by a portfolio manager. Other multi-strategy funds have more collaborative structures, employing analysts with scientific and medical backgrounds as resident experts.

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

In the past, hedge funds have hired scientists with specialist knowledge such as geology or engineering to inform commodities trading, said two sources with knowledge of how the funds work.

Weather engineers and meteorologists are regularly hired by the biggest to monitor fluctuations in the weather to inform trading in the power market.

Research and development in the pharmaceutical industry is expected to expand as borrowing costs in the wider economy begin to drop.

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