London, UK – Global investment firm Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) today announced that it has co-led a consortium of investors to provide a financing solution of €1.1 billion to support the future growth of Ottobock (the “Company”), the global market leader in prosthetics. The financing will also support existing majority shareholder Professor Hans Georg Näder and the Näder Family’s buy back of EQT’s 20% shareholding in the business.

Headquartered in Duderstadt, Germany, with origins dating back more than 100 years, Ottobock is widely recognised for its innovative and market leading solutions in the fields of prosthetics and orthotics, dedicated to helping customers globally to strengthen their independence and maintain their quality of life. Ottobock, which has remained family-owned since inception, has more than 400 of its own patient care centres worldwide, providing a diverse range of high tech and customizable devices designed to help amputees’ mobility. The Company has sat at the forefront of industry innovation, evidenced by the introduction of the first micro-processor enabled knee as early as 1997. It has maintained its global market leadership position through a continuous focus on innovation and R&D, delivering cutting edge products in 135 countries. The Company currently employs more than 9,000 employees worldwide.

Carlyle Global Credit manages $188 billion in assets under management, as of December 31, 2023. It regularly pursues investments in privately negotiated capital solutions for both private equity sponsored and family or entrepreneur-owned companies.

Taj Sidhu, Head of European and Asian Private Credit, said: “We are delighted to partner with the Näder family and the outstanding Ottobock management team. This transaction sits at the core of our strategy of providing flexible capital solutions to family-owned businesses that are leaders in their field. Ottobock has been a pioneer and champion for innovation in prosthetics and orthotics and we look forward to partnering with such an inspiring business on the next stage of its growth journey for the benefit of patients worldwide.”
Professor Hans Georg Näder said: “My family and I are delighted to have been able to agree this financing with such a high-quality group of lenders. My team and I very much look forward to working with Carlyle and the group over the coming years and I am confident that with their support Ottobock’s future growth is assured.”
About Carlyle
Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) is a global investment firm with deep industry expertise that deploys private capital across three business segments: Global Private Equity, Global Credit and Global Investment Solutions. With $426 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2023, Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of its investors, portfolio companies and the communities in which we live and invest. Carlyle employs more than 2,200 people in 28 offices across four continents. Further information is available at www.carlyle.com. Follow Carlyle on X @OneCarlyle and LinkedIn at The Carlyle Group.

Media contacts:
For Carlyle: 

Charlie Bristow
charlie.bristow@carlyle.com
+44 7384 513568

Eurazeo Small-mid buyout strategy and the management of Peters Surgical announce that they have signed an agreement to sell all the share capital of Peters Surgical to Advanced Medical Solutions Group plc (AIM: AMS), a world-leading specialist in tissue-healing technologies listed in the London Stock Exchange.

Eurazeo has been supporting Peters Surgical, a leading global provider of specialty surgical sutures, mechanical haemostasis and internal cyanoacrylate devices, as a majority shareholder, since 2013. Over the past years, Eurazeo has enabled the company to expand its presence in the operating room by developing organically and by acquiring new product ranges, such as haemostatic clips or surgical glue. Thanks to numerous acquisitions, Peters Surgical has also increased its shares of direct-selling capabilities, and expanded its geographical presence in the United States, in Asia and in key European countries (Germany, Poland, among others).

The transaction will allow Peters Surgical to benefit from significant complementarities with Advanced Medical Solutions Group plc in terms of portfolio of surgical products, of sales capabilities and commercial footprint in key territories as well as distribution networks.

The transaction remains subject to approval of French authorities for foreign direct investment control. The sale of Peters Surgical would allow funds managed by Eurazeo, to receive estimated proceeds of €66m (of which c. €46m for Eurazeo’s Balance Sheet) upon closing. These proceeds are subject to adjustments based on completion accounts and earn-outs which could be triggered and paid in 2024 and 2025.

Chicago, IL (March 12, 2024) – Linden Capital Partners (“Linden”), a Chicago-based healthcare private equity firm, announced today the completion of its acquisition of Alcresta Therapeutics, Inc. (“Alcresta” or “the Company”), a leader in commercializing novel enzyme-based products designed to address challenges faced by patients living with gastrointestinal disorders and rare diseases.

Alcresta recently announced 510(k) clearance of its next-generation RELiZORB® (iMMOBILIZED LIPASE) cartridge by the Center for Devices and Radiological Health of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The next-generation RELiZORB device was developed to address the enteral nutrition needs of a wider population of patients living with rare diseases and is expected to launch in Q2 2024.

Linden Operating Partner Ron Labrum, who is joining Alcresta as Chairman of the Board of Directors, said, “I am very excited to join the Alcresta team to support the continuing growth of the company. Alcresta’s rapid progress has made a meaningful difference for patients living with rare diseases that struggle with fat malabsorption. Linden feels very fortunate to partner with Alcresta as it prepares for new levels of momentum and success in the years ahead.”

Daniel Orlando, CEO of Alcresta, said, “We have been very impressed with Linden’s thoughtful investment approach as we finalize launch plans for the next generation RELiZORB and accelerate R&D efforts for an iteration to treat enterally fed patients in the NICU. We anticipate considerable growth in the years to come and appreciate the added strategic planning and investment experience that Linden brings to Alcresta.”

Piyush Shukla, Partner at Linden and incoming Board member at Alcresta, added, “Linden’s investment in Alcresta is a direct result of our dedicated and longstanding medical devices and specialty pharma sector effort. We have been impressed with the organization and team that Daniel has built and are excited to partner with Alcresta on this next phase of growth.” Linden’s Ernest Waaser and Prab Chawla have also joined the Board of Directors, alongside Alcresta CEO Daniel Orlando.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Cain Brothers, a division of KeyBanc Capital Markets, served as legal advisor and financial advisor to Linden, respectively. Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP and Rothschild & Co served as legal advisor and financial advisor to Alcresta, respectively. Twin Brook Capital Partners and MidCap Financial provided debt financing for the transaction.

About Alcresta Therapeutics, Inc.
Alcresta Therapeutics, Inc. is dedicated to developing and commercializing novel, enzyme-based products designed to address challenges faced by patients living with gastrointestinal disorders and rare diseases.  Alcresta currently markets RELiZORB for enterally fed patients with pancreatic insufficiency, which occurs in cystic fibrosis, pancreatic cancer, and pancreatitis, and is developing platform applications for patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS) and prematurely born infants treated in the NICU.  More information can be found at www.alcresta.com.

About Linden Capital Partners
Linden Capital Partners is a Chicago-based private equity firm focused exclusively on the healthcare industry. Founded in 2004, Linden is the country’s largest dedicated healthcare private equity firm by total buyout capital raised. Linden’s strategy is based upon three elements: (i) healthcare specialization, (ii) integrated private equity and operating expertise, and (iii) its differentiated human capital program. Linden invests in middle market platforms in the medical products, specialty distribution, pharmaceutical, and services segments of healthcare. Since its founding, Linden has invested in over 40 healthcare companies encompassing over 325 total transactions. The firm has approximately $8 billion in regulatory assets under management. For more information, please visit www.lindenllc.com.

Spineart SA today announced it has completed enrollment in its U.S. IDE trial studying the BAGUERA®C Cervical Disc Prosthesis in patients with cervical disc disease at two contiguous levels between C3 to C7 compared to a commercially marketed cervical disc implant.

The multi-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial enrolled over 300 patients at 25 sites across the United States. The primary endpoint of the study is the clinical success rate of BAGUERA®C in two contiguous levels from C3 to C7 compared with two-level cervical disc replacement with a commercially available disc replacement implant. The Company announced the completion of enrollment for its one-level IDE trial at the end of February 2024.

Jerome Trividic, CEO of Spineart, said, “The enrollment completion of our two-level BAGUERA®C IDE study marks a significant milestone in Spineart’s ambition to emerge as a global leader in spine arthroplasty. Coupled with the ongoing one-level BAGUERA®C IDE study, Spineart is spearheading the gathering of crucial long-term clinical evidence from nearly 600 artificial disc recipients across the United States. This unprecedented achievement underscores our commitment to advancing the adoption of cutting-edge technologies in spinal surgery. We extend our sincere gratitude to our esteemed investigators and their teams whose dedicated participation has been instrumental in this endeavor. We eagerly anticipate bringing these two studies to fruition.”

Domagoj Coric, neurosurgeon at Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates in Charlotte, NC, and co-lead investigator of the IDE trials, stated, “The outcomes from this study will further build the level I evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of cervical disc arthroplasty with its head-to-head comparison against another cervical implant with similar design features.”

The BAGUERA®C Cervical Disc prosthesis is evaluated in two separate IDE trials in the U.S. for one- and two-level cervical disc disease. The BAGUERA®C implant has been commercially available in selected European and worldwide markets since 2008. Internationally, early long-term feedback has shown substantial improvement in patient pain scores and functional improvement after treatment.

Today, Smile Invest announces the sale of Rovers Medical Devices B.V. (“Rovers”), the leading designer and manufacturer of sample collection devices used in the prevention and diagnostics of cervical cancer, to Halma plc (“Halma”), a global group of life-saving technology companies.

Halma will support Rovers in realizing its ambition to become the global leader in sample collection devices targeted at the prevention and diagnostics of cervical cancer and other diseases, thereby reinforcing its vital role in cervical cancer screening globally.

Rovers sees Halma as the perfect partner to realize its growth ambitions and a partner that is well aligned with its culture and mission. Halma’s extensive experience creates a solid basis for Rovers and its employees to realize the company’s strategic agenda.

In the 5-year period of working together with Smile Invest, Rovers managed to reinforce the position of its key products globally, create compelling new products and further improve the highly automated production set-up, creating a solid foundation for the Rovers’ next growth phase.

Rovers and its shareholders were advised by Lincoln International (financial advisor).

This transaction is the fourth deal of Smile Invest this year, following the exit and reinvestment in SmartSD, the sale of Microflor and the recent investment in MedEnvision.

Roel Leenders – Chief Executive Officer, Rovers
“We want to contribute to the prevention of cancer on a global scale. This mission strongly aligns to Halma’s when it comes to improving quality of care for patients. Many physicians work with us to develop the highest quality screening products that are most effective for their patients. I am grateful for Smile Invest’s support during the holding period, in which Rovers was able to grow significantly and continued to invest in its state-of-the-art, fully automated production set-up.”

Ivo Vincente and Thomas Dewever – Managing Partners, Smile Invest
“We are proud to have supported Rovers in its development as the reference in the market for cervical cancer cell sampling. As a key player in women’s health we are convinced that Rovers will remain the solution of choice for medical professionals and women worldwide. It has been a privilege to work with Roel Leenders and Rover’s management team and we wish them all the best under the Halma umbrella.”

Marc Ronchetti – Chief Executive Officer, Halma
“Rovers will broaden the range of markets we serve in women’s health and further strengthen our Healthcare sector’s position in cancer diagnosis products. We are excited by the opportunities we see to increase Rovers’ positive impact on public health. We expect its future growth to be driven by increasing global cervical screening rates, supporting the World Health Organization’s strategy to accelerate the early detection of cervical cancer.”

For further information, please contact:

Smile Invest NV

Thomas Dewever, Managing Partner: +32(0)476.423.582
Ivo Vincente, Managing Partner: +31(0)622.919.232

Rovers (www.roversmedicaldevices.com)
Rovers is a designer and manufacturer of sample collection devices used in the prevention and diagnostics of cervical cancer. Rovers’ products are principally for professional use and include its Cervex-Brush®, widely recognized as the gold standard for cervical cancer and HPV screening. Rovers’ products are used in more than 90 countries, and are sold primarily to medical diagnostic companies, as well as medical distributors, laboratories, research institutes and governments.

Smile Invest (www.smile-invest.com)
Smile Invest (Smart Money for Innovation Leaders) is a European evergreen investment firm with over €500m of assets under management, financed by 40 entrepreneurial families and with a long-term focus on innovative growth companies. Smile Invest focuses on companies active in three investment themes: digitalization, healthcare and sustainability. Since its inception in 2017, Smile Invest has invested in 17 platform companies in Belgium and the Netherlands. From its offices in Leuven and The Hague, the team supports ambitious entrepreneurs and management teams in realizing their growth plans.

Halma plc (www.halma.com)
Halma is a global group of life-saving technology companies, focused on growing a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day. Its purpose defines the three broad markets it operates in: Health, Environment and Safety. It employs over 8,000 people in more than 20 countries, with major operations in the UK, Mainland Europe, the USA and Asia Pacific. Halma is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LON: HLMA) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index.

Bucharest, Romania, 4 March, 2024: Affidea Group, Europe’s largest provider of advanced
diagnostics, multi-speciality polyclinics and Centres of Excellence, announced today that it has
entered into a binding agreement to acquire MedEuropa Romania, a renowned cancer care
provider.

MedEuropa Romania operates four medical centres in Romania, spanning Constanta, Bucharest,
Brasov, and Oradea, with two further centres set to open in Iasi and Bacau during 2024. The company
is renowned for its expertise in advanced cancer care, including Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy and
broader oncology services, all of which integrate into Affidea’s primary diagnostic and polyclinic
portfolio in Romania. The acquisition adds radiotherapy services to Affidea’s capability in Romania,
complementing existing radiotherapy services that Affidea provides across its European footprint.
Philippe Jacobs, Chairman and Silviu Savin, CEO of MedEuropa commented: “We are proud to have
built a greenfield network of clinics providing high quality patient care and treatments across Romania.
We would like to thank our doctors and staff for their contributions over the past years. We believe
that an integrated care solution is optimal for oncology patients and therefore see the integration of
MedEuropa in the larger Affidea family as an ideal avenue for delivering the best care and results for
cancer patients in Romania.”

Razvan Predica, Country CEO for Affidea Romania and Hungary, stated: “Cancer is claiming far too
many lives in our communities, with approximately 100,000 people being diagnosed with an
oncological disease in Romania every year. This acquisition isn’t just about growth; it’s about standing
shoulder-to-shoulder with the National Health System and those affected by this relentless disease.
We look forward to working with the great team of MedEuropa following the closing and continue
delivering value for every individual impacted by cancer by increasing access to more comprehensive
cancer care pathway from diagnosis to treatment and follow-up.

Guy Blomfield, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board for Affidea Group, added: “At Affidea,
we have a provenance in the provision of comprehensive cancer care pathways across several
European countries, with a network of Community Clinics and Centres of Excellence which are
dedicated to providing access and high-quality care to the patient communities we serve. Romania’s
healthcare market is embracing the challenge of improving cancer survivorship outcomes, and
Affidea’s integrated service model will have an important role in helping to improve early detection
and diagnosis, as well as providing more access to radiotherapy services in community settings across
Romania. Affidea and MedEuropa, both have impressive reputations for high quality patient care, and
I am very confident that the integration of services will further enhance outcomes for oncology patients
across Romania.

Completion of the acquisition is subject to the approval of the Romanian Competition Council. Affidea
Group was advised by Rizoiu & Asociatii and Clifford Chance as legal advisors, while Deloitte served as
financial advisor. The sellers were advised by Biris Goran and Linklaters as legal advisors.

About MedEuropa
Telemos Capital in partnership with a local team of entrepreneurs, established MedEuropa to address the undersupplied Romanian radiotherapy market, with a vision of building a greenfield network of clinics across the
country. MedEuropa is committed to providing state of the art cancer treatment, with a strong focus on
radiotherapy. The company operates four clinics across Romania (in Brasov, Bucharest, Constanta and Oradea)
and is constructing additional clinics and treatment centres in Iasi (opening planned in Q1 2024), Bacau, Brasov,
and Bistrita.

About Telemos Capital
Telemos Capital (www.telemoscapital.com) invests in private European businesses, with the aim of building
great companies for the long term. Funded by family capital, it combines the flexibility and nimble decisionmaking of a family office with the active ownership and professionalism of private equity. Telemos seeks to
acquire majority stakes in businesses with the potential for sustainable growth through international
expansion, add-on acquisitions or operational improvements. Other Telemos investments in the Healthcare
Services sector include Stingray and Sanoptis (exited in 2022).

About Affidea Romania
Affidea Romania is one of the leading healthcare providers across the country, offering advanced diagnostics,
laboratory analysis and multi-specialty consultations, with 50 medical centres in 26 cities. The Affidea Romania
team consists of more than 1,500 professionals, out of which over 900 clinicians, annually providing integrated
medical services for more than 2 million patients.

About Affidea Group
Affidea (www.affidea.com) is the largest European provider of advanced diagnostic imaging, out-of-hospital and
cancer care services. Founded in 1991, the company operates 355 centres across 15 countries, providing highquality medical services to nearly 13 million patients every year. Due to its track record for patient safety, the
company has become the most awarded diagnostic imaging provider in Europe by the European Society of
Radiology, as over 80% of the centres recognised on the Eurosafe Wall of Stars belong to Affidea. Affidea is
majority-owned by Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL), a leading investment holding company, focused on longterm value-creation with a stable and supportive family shareholder base.

MedEnvision (www.medenvision.com), a leader in innovative orthopaedic efficiency solutions, is thrilled to announce a pivotal partnership with Smile Invest, a distinguished European investment firm known for its focus on fostering innovative growth companies. This strategic partnership aims to fuel MedEnvision’s international expansion, drive new product development, and unlock new market opportunities.

Founded on the principles of enhancing efficiency in orthopaedic surgeries, MedEnvision has revolutionized the operating theatre with its patented product range, including the Gripper set, the EsySuit range, and specially designed retractors. These innovations offer dual benefits: they optimize time and resources by freeing up OR staff for more critical tasks while providing surgeons with enhanced control in surgeries involving the hip, knee, and shoulder. Currently, MedEnvision’s solutions have reached 26 countries, with a strong presence in the Benelux and the US.

MedEnvision’s mission lies in further improving the practices of an orthopaedic surgeon for the benefit of the patient, the nursing staff, the surgeon and the healthcare institutions. This mission is fully endorsed by new partner Smile Invest, who will further support this growth story together with MedEnvision’s management team and founders.

Dries Goyens, CEO of MedEnvision: “We are honoured to welcome Smile Invest into our company. Their proven track record in nurturing high-potential healthcare innovations aligns with our vision. This collaboration not only validates the impact of our products but also equips us with the strategic and financial support necessary to broaden our global footprint and continue improving surgical workflows. From the start, we felt the click between our teams and we look forward to a successful partnership.”

Bart Cauberghe, Managing Partner at Smile Invest, highlights: “MedEnvision represents the type of innovation and strategic foresight we value at Smile Invest. Their solutions directly address some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare today, such as improving procedural efficiency and mitigating the impact of nursing staff shortages. We are confident in MedEnvision’s growth trajectory and its role in advancing orthopaedic care for an ageing population aspiring to maintain an active lifestyle.”

Smile Invest

Smile Invest (Smart Money for Innovation Leaders) is a European evergreen investment firm with over €500m of assets under management, financed by 40 entrepreneurial families and with a long-term focus on innovative growth companies. Smile Invest focuses on companies active in three investment themes: digitalization, healthcare and sustainability. Since its inception in 2017 Smile Invest has built a portfolio of 15 companies. From its offices in Leuven and The Hague, the team supports ambitious entrepreneurs and management teams in realizing their growth plans.

Contact Smile Invest:

Bart Cauberghe, Managing Partner
bart.cauberghe@smile-invest.com | T. +32 476 33 66 69

Nicolas Costers, Investment Director
nicolas.costers@smile-invest.com | T. +32 476 44 63 23

The Company also welcomes new Chief Marketing and Chief Revenue Officers to bolster strategic growth.

AMES, Iowa, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Trace Genomics (Trace), the industry leader in DNA-based soil intelligence, today announced its successful Series B funding round at $10.5 million led by existing investors S2G Ventures and Ajax Strategies, as well as new investor Rabo Ventures. The round exceeded expectations and demonstrated strong investor confidence in Trace’s trajectory and growth strategy. With this additional funding, Trace plans to expand its commercial growth, making its offerings available to more farmers and agronomists.

Poornima Parameswaran, CEO and Co-founder of Trace, stated, “The Series B funding represents a pivotal milestone for Trace, positioning us to accelerate our reach with cutting-edge soil DNA intelligence solutions, and advancing sustainable agriculture with a focus on farmer profitability. Our commitment to providing customers with innovative technology and comprehensive support with operational excellence aims to improve agricultural business outcomes and boost productivity for farmers and agronomists.”

Trace Genomics, a leader in soil health innovation, has developed a groundbreaking way to understand what’s happening beneath the surface of our farms. By examining the DNA of organisms in soil, farmers can get an individualized and detailed picture of soil health. This approach not only highlights what’s going on with the soil right now but also helps farmers make better decisions for their crops in the future. Trace Genomics helps farmers identify potential diseases before they become a problem, understand the soil’s fertility levels, and offer personalized recommendations to improve crop health and yield. This means farmers can grow more with less, using the optimal biologicals and chemicals, and making farming more sustainable for all.

“We’re excited to partner with Trace as they continue to advance and scale their technology,” said Cristina Rohr, Managing Director at S2G Ventures. “Their innovation provides deep soil insights, fostering sustainable crop production and improved decision-making across the agricultural value chain. Trace Genomics empowers farmers, manufacturers, and agronomists with better risk assessment and demand forecasting, leading to enhanced yield and cost management.”

In 2024-25, Trace is set to broaden its reach, aiming to deliver its pioneering data and insights to an increased number of growers and agronomists, building on both existing and new partnerships. To support this growth, the company is delighted to announce the addition of two key leaders to its team, significantly enhancing its commercial capabilities. Adam Burnhams joins as the Chief Marketing Officer, bringing over 30 years of global agribusiness experience, encompassing sales, marketing, research, and development roles across startups, basic, and post-patent companies. Tim Yandel joins as the Chief Revenue Officer, a seasoned sales professional with 20 years of experience, including 15 years in leadership positions, with expertise in machine learning, AI, computer vision, big data, marketing tech, and climate tech.

This strategic expansion builds upon last year’s successes, which included the launch of its flagship product TraceCOMPLETE, the establishment of key commercial partnerships in the US and Canada, the refinement of its commercial strategy for enhanced market penetration, and compelling success stories from farmers and agronomists about how Trace’s insights have improved their financial outcomes.

“While it’s widely acknowledged that the soil microbiome significantly impacts crop outcomes, soil-biology analysis has historically been underutilized in agronomists’ toolkits due to cost, complexity, and time requirements. However, Trace’s cutting-edge soil intelligence platform has successfully addressed these challenges. As a result, it provides growers with an unprecedented level of insight and truly data-driven recommendations,” said Shishir Sinha, Investment Director at Rabo Ventures. “We are excited by the paradigm shift that Trace brings to agriculture – unlocking the power of biologicals while enabling the adoption of NUE solutions, and making pest management predictive”

About Trace Genomics
Trace Genomics is a pioneer in the use of hi-definition genomics, soil science, and machine learning to activate hidden insights in soil for economic and ecosystem benefits. Where most companies deliver a partial picture, we provide a comprehensive and precise understanding of the soil’s composition—analyzing the soil’s biology, physical properties, and chemistry. Trace Genomics delivers targeted database insights and actions at cost-speed-scale-accuracy for partners who are advancing modern farming solutions. More information can be found at www.tracegenomics.com.

Contacts
Kaylee Tanner
Trace Genomics
kaylee.tanner@tracegenomics.com

SOURCE Trace Genomics