Bain Capital Sells Pharvaris: A Tale of Profit-Taking

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Dear Diary, today’s market drama involves Bain Capital unloading shares of Pharvaris N.V. (PHVS). A net position decrease of $21.23 million? Let me just say, if I had that kind of capital, I’d probably also be selling at the peak of a 14.6% annual gain. But here we are, in the realm of institutional investors, where “profit-taking” is a euphemism for “I’m not as confident as I once was.”

What Happened

On November 14, 2025, Bain Capital Life Sciences Investors, LLC offloaded 122,106 shares of Pharvaris. The post-sale holding is now 3,181,275 shares, valued at $79.37 million. A quarter-over-quarter increase, mind you, despite the sale. It’s like buying a coffee, then selling it for a bit more-only with stock. My brain hurts just thinking about it.

What Else to Know

Pharvaris now constitutes 5.27% of Bain’s 13F assets. For context, that’s roughly the same percentage of my savings that I’ve accidentally spent on avocado toast. The top holdings? HTFL, NAMS, CDTX, PHVS, OLMA. A mix of the familiar and the “I’ll never remember what those acronyms stand for.”

Shares of Pharvaris are trading at $23.55, up 14.6% year-over-year. Outperforming the S&P 500 by 5.01 percentage points. I’m not sure if that’s impressive or just a reminder that I’ve never owned a stock that’s done that. (Units of Cryptocurrency Lost: 12. Hours Spent Watching Charts: 9. Number of Panicked Texts to Friends: 24.)

Company Overview

Metric Value
Market Cap $1.53 billion
Net Income (TTM) $-180.84 million
Price (11/14/25) $23.55

Company Snapshot

Pharvaris is a clinical-stage biotech focused on oral therapies for rare diseases-specifically hereditary angioedema. Their pipeline includes PHA121, PHVS416, and PHVS719. It’s the kind of company that makes you think, “If only I’d invested in this before it became a ‘thing.'”

  • They’re developing small molecule therapies for HAE, which sounds like a medical thriller. “Bradykinin B2-receptor antagonist” is a phrase that should come with a warning label.
  • Their model is clinical-stage, which means they’re still in the “let’s hope this works” phase. A bit like dating someone who’s still figuring out their life.
  • Primary customers? Healthcare providers and patients. The latter being the reason I’ll never understand why anyone would pay $23.55 for a pill.

Foolish Take

So, Bain Capital sold $21 million worth of PHVS. Is this a red flag? Maybe. Or maybe it’s just a seasoned investor taking profits on a stock that’s already up 50% in six months. I’ve done the same with my ETFs, though I’m not sure if “ETFs” is the right word here. (It’s not. They’re called “pension funds” in my head.)

Here’s the thing: Bain’s total PHVS stake increased from $58 million to $79 million despite the sale. That’s not panic. That’s calculated. Like a person who buys a lottery ticket, then sells it at a loss because they’re “not a risk-taker.”

In short, this isn’t a warning. It’s a reminder that even the pros play the game. And if they’re selling, maybe I should check my own portfolio for any stocks that’ve gone up 14.6% and think, “Is this the peak? Or am I just not smart enough to know?”

Glossary

13F reportable assets: The SEC’s version of a “show your cards” moment. AUM: Total money a fund manages. Position: How much of a stock you own. Stake: Your ownership percentage. Clinical-stage: “We’re still testing this.” Pipeline: The future of a company. Prophylactic: “I don’t want to get sick.” Orphan indications: Diseases no one else cares about. Bradykinin B2-receptor antagonist: A drug that sounds like a villain from a James Bond movie. HAE: A rare disease that’s probably more dramatic than it seems. TTM: The past 12 months. (And by “past,” I mean “I’m still trying to catch up.”)

So, what’s the takeaway? Bain’s move is probably not a catastrophe. But it’s a reminder that even the best investors have their moments. And if I ever become one, I’ll probably sell at the peak too. 📉

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2025-11-18 21:22