Portland Life Sciences Alternative Fund
Portfolio Manager
Michael Lee-Chin, B.Eng., LLD (Honorary)
Executive Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Portfolio Manager
Mr. Lee-Chin has over 40 years industry experience.
Portfolio Manager
Dragos Berbecel, CFA, MBA
Portfolio Manager
Dragos Berbecel has over 20 years of experience, both as an investment professional and a business operator.
Performance
As at January 31, 2025
| Year to Date | 1 Month | 3 Months | 1 Year | 3 Year4 | Since Inception4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Life Sciences Alternative Fund - Series A | 3.89% | 3.89% | (13.18%) | 25.89% | 20.43% | 15.74% |
| Portland Life Sciences Alternative Fund - Series F | 3.99% | 3.99% | (12.93%) | 26.90% | 21.47% | 16.80% |
| MSCI World Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology and Life Sciences Index* | 5.59% | 5.59% | (0.21%) | 11.09% | 9.56% | 10.41% |
Geographic Allocation
| United States | 51.85% |
| Australia | 34.72% |
| Cayman Islands | 6.32% |
| Ireland | 3.73% |
| Cash & Cash Equivalents | 1.91% |
| United Kingdom | 0.94% |
| Other Net Assets (Liabilities)1 | 0.53% |
Sector Allocation
| Biotechnology | 39.31% |
| Pharmaceuticals | 15.40% |
| Health Care Supplies | 11.26% |
| Exchange Traded Funds | 11.15% |
| Life Sciences Tools & Services | 9.99% |
| Medical Devices | 4.99% |
| Health Care Equipment & Services | 4.29% |
| Cash & Cash Equivalents | 1.91% |
| Health Care Technology | 1.17% |
| Other Net Assets (Liabilities)1 | 0.53% |
Top Holdings2
| Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited | 20.47% |
| Clarity Pharmaceuticals Limited | 14.25% |
| Lantheus Holdings, Inc. | 11.26% |
| SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | 11.15% |
| BeiGene, Ltd. - ADR | 6.32% |
| Danaher Corporation | 6.26% |
| Perspective Therapeutics, Inc. | 4.99% |
| RadNet, Inc. | 4.29% |
| Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. | 4.11% |
| Amgen Inc. | 4.01% |
| ICON PLC | 3.73% |
| Cash & Cash Equivalents | 1.91% |
| Nuvalent, Inc. | 1.61% |
| Olema Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 1.43% |
| Schrodinger, Inc. | 1.17% |
| Arvinas, Inc. | 1.15% |
| Bicycle Therapeutics PLC, ADR | 0.94% |
| Relay Therapeutics, Inc. | 0.42% |
Fund Info
| Net Asset Value Per Unit | Management Fee | Performance Fee | Series Start Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Life Sciences Alternative Fund - Series A | $17.4261 | 1.75% | 10% above high water mark | April 14, 2021 |
| Portland Life Sciences Alternative Fund - Series F | $18.0419 | 0.75% | 10% above high water mark | April 14, 2021 |
Fund Details
| Fund Net Assets | $15.5 million |
| CIFSC** Asset Class | Alternative Equity Focused |
| Risk Tolerance | Medium |
| MER5 | Series A: 2.53%, Series F: 1.42% |
Investment Objective
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The Fund’s objective is to provide positive long‐term total returns by investing primarily in a portfolio of securities focused on companies active in the healthcare sector.
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The Fund seeks to provide capital growth by primarily investing in a portfolio of equities/ American Depository Receipts and may also invest in exchange traded funds.
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The Fund’s investments currently focus on the area of precision oncology. The Fund may also engage in borrowing for investment purposes.
How The Fund is Managed
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The investable universe is global, with a focus on innovative healthcare companies active in the area of precision oncology or supporting the broader effort towards improving cancer care.
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Portland leverages its existing track record of private placements in companies active in precision oncology as well as its network of industry contacts in making its investment selection.
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Investment decisions incorporate fundamental analysis and apply to a value discipline.
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Investments are managed with a long term focus.
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The result is a relatively low turnover, concentrated portfolio.
Key Reasons To Invest
Close adherence to Framework:
Five Laws of Wealth Creation:
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Own a few high quality businesses
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Thoroughly understand these businesses
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Ensure these businesses are domiciled in strong, long-term growth industries
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Use other people’s money prudently
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Hold these businesses for the long run
Exposure to a secular growth sector driven by aging demographics and need for better cancer care.
The focus area of precision oncology leads to investments in companies that are making an impact in the lives of cancer patients and the broader society.
Professional use of a variable amount of leverage with the potential to outperform the benchmark.
Embedded product leverage is non-recourse to individual investors.
Management fee from 0.75% per annum for Series F units.
Potential Risks
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Portland believes the following risks may impact the performance of the Fund: concentration risk, clinical development risk, specialization risk, currency risk, equity risk and leverage risk. Please read the “What are the risks of investing in the Fund?” section in the Simplified Prospectus for a more detailed description of all the relevant risks.
Disclosure
† The Portland Life Sciences Alternative Fund was awarded a 2024 FundGrade A+® Award in the Alternative Equity Focused category for the 12-month period ending December 31, 2024, out of a total of 58 funds. FundGrade A+® is used with permission from Fundata Canada Inc., all rights reserved. The annual FundGrade A+® Awards are presented by Fundata Canada Inc. to recognize the “best of the best” among Canadian investment funds. The FundGrade A+® calculation is supplemental to the monthly FundGrade ratings and is calculated at the end of each calendar year. The FundGrade rating system evaluates funds based on their risk-adjusted performance, measured by Sharpe Ratio, Sortino Ratio, and Information Ratio. The score for each ratio is calculated individually, covering all time periods from 2 to 10 years. The scores are then weighted equally in calculating a monthly FundGrade. The top 10% of funds earn an A Grade; the next 20% of funds earn a B Grade; the next 40% of funds earn a C Grade; the next 20% of funds receive a D Grade; and the lowest 10% of funds receive an E Grade. To be eligible, a fund must have received a FundGrade rating every month in the previous year. The FundGrade A+® uses a GPA-style calculation, where each monthly FundGrade from “A” to “E” receives a score from 4 to 0, respectively. A fund’s average score for the year determines its GPA. Any fund with a GPA of 3.5 or greater is awarded a FundGrade A+® Award. For more information, see www.FundGradeAwards.com. Although Fundata makes every effort to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained herein, the accuracy is not guaranteed by Fundata.
* Since the Fund does not necessarily invest in the same securities as the benchmark or in the same proportion, the performance of the Fund may not be directly comparable to the benchmark. In addition, the Fund’s performance returns may reflect the use of leverage. The use of a benchmark is for illustrative purposes only, and is not an indication of performance of the Fund.
** Canadian Investment Funds Standards Committee
1 Other Net Assets (Liabilities) refers to all other assets and liabilities in the Fund excluding portfolio investments.
2 Where the Fund holds less than 25 holdings, all investments have been disclosed. There may be other assets and liabilities which are not included, and therefore the summary does not add up to 100%.
3 Generally available through dealers who have entered into a Portland Series F Dealer Agreement.
4 Annualized.
5 MER or management expense ratio is presented excluding performance fees and is after absorptions as at September 30, 2024. MER is updated on a semi-annual basis and the Manager may absorb operating expenses of the Fund at its discretion but is under no obligation to do so. The MER including performance fees and absorptions was 10.10% and 9.45% for Series A and Series F, respectively, as at September 30, 2024.
RISK TOLERANCE
Risk tolerance measures the degree of uncertainty that an investor can handle regarding fluctuations in the value of their portfolio. The amount of risk associated with any particular investment depends largely on your own personal circumstances including your time horizon, liquidity needs, portfolio size, income, investment knowledge and attitude toward price fluctuations. Investors should consult their financial advisor before making a decision as to whether this Fund is a suitable investment for them.
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Use of any third party material may not reflect the views and opinions of Portland. Portland makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, in respect thereof, takes no responsibilities for errors and omissions contained herein and accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss arising from any use of, or reliance on, this material or its content.
Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. The indicated rates of return are the historical annual compounded total returns including changes in units [share] value and reinvestment of all distributions [dividends] and do not take into account sales, redemption, distribution or optional charges or income taxes payable by any security holder that would have reduced returns. The rates of return are used only to illustrate the effects of the compound growth rate and are not intended to reflect future values of the mutual fund or returns on investment in the mutual fund. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.
Information presented in this material should be considered for background information only and should not be construed as investment, tax or financial advice. Please consult a Financial Advisor. Every effort has been made to ensure the utmost accuracy of the information provided. Information provided is believed to be reliable when posted. All information is subject to modification from time to time without notice. Consent is required for any reproduction, in whole or in part, of this piece and/or of its images and concepts. Please read the Prospectus before investing. Portland Investment Counsel is a registered trademark of Portland Holdings Inc. The Unicorn Design is a trademark of Portland Holdings Inc. Used under license by Portland Investment Counsel Inc. Buy. Hold. And Prosper. is a registered trademark of AIC Global Holdings Inc. used under license by Portland Investment Counsel Inc.