Tag Archives: healthcare

Almi Invest invests in the medtech company B! BB Instruments

Press Release • May 03, 2017 07:13 CEST
Superstartup of the Year (2016) Ulf Skarin, The Week’s Stores, Mikael Karlsson, Almi Invest, Charles Walther, Bibb Instruments, Maria Kesslling, Almi Invest and PO Lindsten, Weekly Stores. 

Almi Invest invests just under SEK 1 million in B! BB Instruments, a company in Lund that develops an instrument that enables quick and easy testing of suspected cancer patients. The issue of a total of SEK 4.6 million also includes Swedish Growth Fund, Christer Fåhraeus via Fårö Capital and a number of private and institutional investors. The money will go for launch of the company’s first product in the Nordic market. 

B! BB develops EndoDrill, an instrument that facilitates the diagnosis of cancer tumors by drilling into the tissue. This makes it possible to reach deep-lying tumors. This differs from today’s methods that are difficult to capture deeply lying tissue. 

The first version of EndoDrill is used to take samples in the stomach, where tumors are difficult to diagnose with today’s methods. Today, repeated samples must be taken or waived until the tumor has grown in size, causing unnecessary suffering to the patient. Often surgery is required to make a final diagnosis. With EndoDrill, you can easily set an early and safe diagnosis, which allows the patient to get the right treatment faster. 

EndoDrill has the potential to become a new standard method for sampling in deep-lying tumors, says Per Antonsson, Investment Manager at Almi Invest. This would save a lot of money for healthcare as you can reduce the number of tests and avoid unnecessary operations. 

B! BB already has orders for EndoDrill from several hospitals in Sweden and deliveries of sterile disposable instruments are scheduled for 2017. The company was named 2016 for the Superstartup of the Year by Almi Invest in cooperation with Veckans Affärer. 

https://www.va.se/nyheter/2016/05/10/arets-superentreprenor/ 

Financing enables the launch of EndoDrill and continued development of other closely related biopsy instruments for major indications, such as lung, intestinal, prostate and breast cancer. Our vision is to improve diagnostics for many of the most common forms of cancer, and we see a significant market potential in this, says Fredrik Lindblad, CEO B! BB Instruments. 

For further information, please contact: 

Per Antonsson, Investment Manager Almi Invest, tel 070 872 87 17, mail per.antonsson@almiinvest.se
Fredrik Lindblad, CEO B! BB, tel 0708-999 486, mail fredrik.lindblad@bibbinstruments.com
Maria Kessling, Communications Manager Almi Invest, tel. 076-880 88 10, mail maria.kessling@almiinvest.se 

About Almi Invest 

Almi Invest is Sweden’s most active investor in startups. We make investments throughout the country through 8 regional venture capital companies and a national venture capital company in GreenTech. Almi Invest manages approximately SEK 3 billion and has since invested approximately 600 startups. Our best holdings have been acquired by Google, Microsoft, Qlik and Apple, for example, or listed on different stock exchanges. Almi Invest is a venture capital company within the Almi Group.

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Gimv invests in emerging immuno-oncology company ImCheck Therapeutics

GIMV

Gimv invests in emerging immuno-oncology company ImCheck Therapeutics

Gimv today announces a EUR 5 million investment in French ImCheck Therapeutics, an emerging player in the field of cancer and auto-immune immunotherapies that focuses on the development of first-in-class antibodies that activate the immune system against different cancer types. This investment is part of a total Series A financing of EUR 20 million from a consortium of specialized life sciences investors including Kurma, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF), Idinvest and Life Science Partners (LSP).

ImCheck Therapeutics was founded in 2015 as a spin-off from the Paoli-Calmettes Cancer Institute in Marseille (France). The company is developing innovative antibody therapeutics in the field of immuno-oncology, based on scientific assets originating from the pioneering work of Prof. Daniel Olive. The funds will be used to advance its lead candidates towards clinical development, as well as to progress its discovery programs.

Karl Nägler, Partner in Gimv’s Health and Care platform, on this transaction: «We are excited to partner with ImCheck and with such a strong syndicate of first class biotech investors, given the game-changing potential of ImCheck’s development candidates for the treatment of cancer. After earlier investments in Topas Therapeutics, G-Therapeutics, Endostim, Spineart and Breath Therapeutics, ImCheck Therapeutics in the sixth new investment of Gimv’s Health & Care team over the past 12 months.»

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Gimv invests in emerging immuno-oncology company ImCheck Therapeutics

GIMV

Gimv invests in immuno-oncology company ImCheck Therapeutics

Gimv today announces a EUR 5 million investment in French ImCheck Therapeutics, an emerging player in the field of cancer and auto-immune immunotherapies that focuses on the development of first-in-class antibodies that activate the immune system against different cancer types. This investment is part of a total Series A financing of EUR 20 million from a consortium of specialized life sciences investors including Kurma, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF), Idinvest and Life Science Partners (LSP).

ImCheck Therapeutics was founded in 2015 as a spin-off from the Paoli-Calmettes Cancer Institute in Marseille (France). The company is developing innovative antibody therapeutics in the field of immuno-oncology, based on scientific assets originating from the pioneering work of Prof. Daniel Olive. The funds will be used to advance its lead candidates towards clinical development, as well as to progress its discovery programs.

Karl Nägler, Partner in Gimv’s Health and Care platform, on this transaction: «We are excited to partner with ImCheck and with such a strong syndicate of first class biotech investors, given the game-changing potential of ImCheck’s development candidates for the treatment of cancer. After earlier investments in Topas Therapeutics, G-Therapeutics, Endostim, Spineart and Breath Therapeutics, ImCheck Therapeutics in the sixth new investment of Gimv’s Health & Care team over the past 12 months.»

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HBM Healthcare Investments commits EUR 20 million in growth capital to Switzerland based Amicus SA

HBM Healthcare Investments today announced the closing of a new equity investment of EUR 20 million
in two tranches into the privately held and Switzerland based Amicus SA.
The financing willallow Amicus to accelerate the growth of its pharmaceutical business in Central and Eastern
Europe (CEE).
Amicus is a revenue generating company and was established by the former founders ofPharmaSwiss SA, in which HBM Healthcare Investments was a significant shareholder from 2007 until 2011 when the company was sold.
The company specializes in the distribution of pharmaceutical products, medical equipment and over the counter brands in countries where the originators decide notto maintain a direct presence. Leading healthcare companiessuch as Alcon,Bristol Myers Squibb, Cardinal Health, Expanscience, Grupo Ferrer, General Electric, Genexo, Pfizer, PharmaNutra and Salvat Biotech, amongst others, are represented by Amicus.
For further information, please contact Dr. Andreas Wicki on +41 41 710 75 77, or at
andreas.wicki@hbmhealthcare.com
Information on HBM Healthcare Investments Ltd
HBM Healthcare Investments invests in the healthcare sector. The Company holds and manages
an international portfolio of promising companies in the human medicine, biotechnology, medical
technology and diagnostics sectors and related areas. Many of these companies have their lead
products already available on the market or at an advanced stage of development. The portfolio
companies are closely tracked and actively guidedin their strategic direction. This is what makes HBM Healthcare Investments an interesting alternative to investments in big pharma and biotechnology companies. HBM Healthcare Investments has an international shareholder base and is listed on SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker: HBMN).

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IK Investment Partners to acquire Colisée

IK Investment Partners (“IK”), a leading Pan-European private equity firm, is pleased to announce that the IK VIII Fund has reached an agreement with Eurazeo PME and the management team to acquire a majority stake in Colisée Group (“Colisée”), a leading player in the elderly care segment in France. The management team as well as the founder will reinvest alongside IK. Financial terms of the transaction are not disclosed and completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.

Colisée is a leading provider of nursing home and homecare services. With more than 90 nursing home facilities and 70 home care services agencies, the Group has developed a geographical footprint across France, Italy, Spain, and more recently in China. Colisée employs approximately 6,700 people and has a turnover exceeding 390 million euros.

”We are very pleased to welcome IK Investment Partners as our new majority shareholder. Supported by the founding family as well as our existing financing banks, we will pursue alongside IK our acquisition strategy through selective buy-and-build as well as the development of innovative services for the elderly people. Building on our 6,700 employees, we remain committed to implementing a responsible and respectful group providing best-in-class daily care to our residents, patients, homecare beneficiaries and their relatives”, said Christine Jeandel, CEO of Colisée.

”We have been very impressed by Colisée’s long and successful heritage within elderly care as well as its growth track record demonstrated over the past years. Led by an experienced management team, Colisée has been able to build solid market positions while having an uncompromising focus on quality. We are delighted to have the opportunity to support Colisée and its management team in their growth strategy both organic and through selected add-on acquisitions in France and across Europe”, added Dan Soudry, Partner at IK.

Parties involved

IK Investment Partners – Dan Soudry, Remi Buttiaux, Diki Korniloff, Vincent Elriz, Guillaume Veber

Buyer
Financial advisor: Sycomore (Olivier Barret, Tristan Dupont), Clearwater (Laurent Camilli, Nicolas Saint-Pierre)

Seller
Financial advisor: Lazard (Isabelle Xoual, Francois Guichot-Perere)
Strategic DD: Roland Berger (Patrick Biecheler, Julien Gautier, Nick Hwang)
Financial DD: PwC (Martin Naquet-Radiguet, Sofia Bennis)
Legal advisor: Goodwin (Maxence Bloch, Pierre-Louis Sevegrand, Simon Sevran-Schreiber, Rémi Pages, Marie-Laure Bruneel, Frederic Guilloux)
Financing banks: BOI (Olivier Meary, Maxime Alban), CACIB (Thibery Gleizes, Francois de Montlivault), CIC (Brice Bourrely, Valerie Benquet, Arnaud Lecaudey), ING (Gregoire Villiaume, Bastien Lefevre)
Legal advisors Bank: Latham & Watkins (Xavier Farde)

For further questions, please contact:

Colisée
Agnès Gilbert
Phone: +33 1 70 38 25 54
a.gilbert@eudoxie-pr.com

IK Investment Partners
Dan Soudry, Partner
Phone: +33 1 44 43 06 60

Mikaela Hedborg, Director Communications & ESG
Phone: +44 77 87 573 566
mikaela.hedborg@ikinvest.com

About Colisée
Colisée is a key player in the global health care and old-age dependency sector, and has developed a real expertise in elderly people care and well-being. Its network includes 90 facilities in France, Italy and Spain and close to 70 home-based services agencies in France. In those two business segments, Colisée employs more than 6,700 people. For more information, please visit www.groupecolisee.com

About IK Investment Partners
IK Investment Partners (“IK”) is a Pan- European private equity firm focused on investments in the Nordics, DACH region, France, and Benelux. Since 1989, IK has raised more than €9 billion of capital and invested in over 100 European companies. IK funds support companies with strong underlying potential, partnering with management teams and investors to create robust, well-positioned businesses with excellent long-term prospects. For more information, visit www.ikinvest.com

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Capio acquires a Swedish eye specialist clinic Globen Ögonklinik in Stockholm

Welcome

Capio has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in Globen Ögonklinik (PanSyn Sweden AB, including subsidiaries) (“Globen”). The clinic is specialized in ophthalmology and offers complex eye treatments, including cataract surgery, RLE (Refractive Lens Exchange) and refractive laser treatments. Net sales in 2016 were MSEK 75.

Globen provides ophthalmology treatments at two locations in the southern part of Stockholm and performs annually about 36,000 consultations and 4,600 surgeries. The clinic serves both public and private pay patients, with its main focus being on supporting the public healthcare system (about 80% of net sales are publicly financed). The acquisition follows the acquisition of Scanloc (Sweden) in August 2016 and Capio’s recent acquisition of Augenklinik Universitätsallee (Germany), and further strengthens Capio’s healthcare offering within ophthalmology and expands the Group’s footprint in the Nordics.

Globen will be included in Capio Medocular, which is part of the business area Capio Specialist Clinics. Capio Medocular was founded in 1986 and is today one of the largest private companies within ophthalmology treatments in the Nordics, specialized in general eye care, cataract surgery and treatment of sight disorders.

Enterprise value is MSEK 75 and the acquisition, which is subject to approval by the county council (SLL), is expected to be closed and included in Capio from May 31, 2017. The acquisition is not expected to significantly impact the Group’s earnings in 2017.

For information, please contact:

Olof Bengtsson, CFO
Telephone: +46 761 18 74 69

Kristina Ekeblad, IR manager
Telephone: +46 708 31 19 40

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BerGenBio heads for IPO

Investinor

Investinor’s portfolio company BerGenBio announces its intention to launch an Initial Public Offering and apply for a listing on Oslo Stock Exchange.

Completion of the IPO will be subject to receiving the relevant approvals from Oslo Børs as well as prevailing equity capital market conditions.

Read the full announcement at OSE’s website.

BerGenBio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing a pipeline of first-in-class drug candidates to treat multiple aggressive cancers.

The Company has pioneered the research and understanding of the central role of Axl kinase in a broad range of aggressive cancers that spread, avoid the immune system and are resistant to existing
drugs. Tumours with these characteristics are the cause of the majority of cancer deaths.

BerGenBio is developing a number of Axl kinase inhibitors, which represents a novel approach to address the key mechanisms leading to tumours becoming malignant and
aggressive. This approach presents the Company with an opportunity to create new therapeutic options for cancer patients.

The Company is also developing a pipeline of additional Axl inhibitors, including an anti-Axl kinase antibody and antibody drug conjugate (ADC), which are currently in preclinical stage.

In addition, BerGenBio is developing companion diagnostics to identify cancer patients whose tumours express Axl kinase and are therefore more likely to respond to treatment
with Axl inhibitors.

Richard Godfrey, CEO of BerGenBio, commented:

”BerGenBio is pioneering a new approach to treating aggressive cancers based on its deep understanding of Axl biology. Our lead compound, BGB324, the only highly selective Axl
inhibitor in clinical development, has already delivered encouraging clinical data in patients with AML/MDS and NSCLC, indicating it could provide an important new improved treatment option for these indications.

The clinical collaboration with MSD announced today will allow us to assess BGB324 in combination with its immune checkpoint inhibitor KEYTRUDA. Our
planned IPO will provide BerGenBio with the funds needed to develop BGB324 through to regulatory trials and to generate significant value for shareholders. We will continue to
evaluate the optimal strategy for further development and commercialisation of BGB324, either alone or in conjunction with partners.”

Stein H. Annexstad, Chairman of the Board, commented:

“The IPO is a natural next step in the Company’s development that will help it secure a broader, long-term shareholder base. In addition, the listing will enhance BerGenBio’s
visibility among potential partners, ensure organised and regulated trading of the shares as well as provide access to the capital markets.”

Offering Highlights
The IPO will comprise a public offering to institutional and retail investors in Norway and Sweden, and a private placement to certain institutional investors internationally. The largest
existing shareholder has indicated that it will offer strong support through the IPO of the Company.

ABG Sundal Collier, Arctic Securities and DNB Markets are acting as Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners in the IPO.

Enquiries:
Richard Godfrey, CEO
richard.godfrey@bergenbio.com, +47 917 86 304

Petter Nielsen, CFO
petter.nielsen@bergenbio.com, +47 922 47 464

For International media enquiries
David Dible / Mark Swallow / Marine Perrier, Citigate Dewe Rogerson
bergenbio@citigatedr.co.uk, +44 207 638 9571

For media enquiries in Norway
Mitra Hagen Negård, Kari Holm Hejna, First House
mhn@firsthouse.no, khh@firsthouse.no, +47 957 936 31
Important Notice

The information contained in this announcement is for background purposes only and does not purport to be full or complete. No reliance may be placed for any purpose on the information contained in this announcement or its accuracy, fairness or completeness.

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Kinnevik invests USD 12.5 million in Livongo

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Kinnevik

Kinnevik AB (publ) (“Kinnevik”) today announced that it has invested USD 12.5m as part of a USD 52.5m funding round in Livongo Health Inc. (“Livongo”), a California based consumer digital healthcare company helping people with diabetes to live healthier lives. Kinnevik will own 3.5% of Livongo after the funding round.

The financing was co-led by Kinnevik and existing investor General Catalyst.

Livongo is a digital chronic care management platform that provides diabetes patients with a personalized, end-to-end service, from measurement of blood glucose levels to real-time, contextual feedback and access to live coaching by certified diabetes educators. Diabetes is one of the largest chronic diseases in the world affecting more than 400 million people. Livongo is helping more than 25,000 patients manage their diabetes and counts almost 15% of Fortune 100 companies amongst its fast growing client base.

Joakim Andersson, Interim CEO of Kinnevik, commented: “Livongo is our second investment in healthcare, a sector where we see the opportunity for technology-enabled platforms to deliver better outcomes at more affordable prices. Diabetes is a large, growing and life-long condition that requires a comprehensive approach to address patient needs. We have been impressed by Livongo’s platform and their impact on the US diabetes market to date, and are delighted to partner with the team to build a global leader in chronic care management over the long-term.”

For further information, visit www.kinnevik.com

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Acino to acquire Litha Healthcare in South Africa

Acino signed a deal with certain subsidiaries of Endo International plc to acquire Litha Healthcare in South Africa.

Litha Healthcare, headquartered in Midrand, Johannesburg, is a pharma group with around 160 employees providing products and services to public and private hospitals, pharmacies, general and specialist practitioners, as well as government law enforcement programs.

The acquisition is fully in line with Acino’s strategy to grow its business by entering selected high potential markets in the Middle East and Africa. The acquisition of Litha Healthcare gives Acino immediate access and a strong presence in South Africa, which is key for the company to become a significant player in the pharmaceutical landscape on the continent.

Closing of the deal is expected in the second quarter of this year.

Acino is part of the portfolio of Nordic Capital

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Partners Group and PSP Investments to acquire Cerba HealthCare, from PAI Partners

Partners Group, the global private markets investment manager, acting on behalf of its clients, and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (“PSP Investments”), one of Canada’s largest pension investment managers, have agreed to acquire European medical laboratory services operator, Cerba HealthCare (“Cerba”, “the Company”). The company is being acquired from PAI Partners, a leading European private equity firm, and the company’s clinical pathologists and managers.

Founded in 1967 and headquartered in Paris, France, Cerba is a leading operator of clinical pathology laboratories, with a number one position in France and strong market positions in Belgium and Luxembourg. The majority of Cerba’s revenues are generated via routine lab tests. The company also focuses on specialty lab testing for more complex medical diagnoses and testing services for clinical trials. Cerba’s clients include private patients, physicians, labs, private and public hospitals, retirement and nursing homes, and pharmaceutical and biotech companies. The company employs almost 4,300 people, including 350 biologists, and generated revenues of approximately EUR 630 million in 2016.

Following the completion of the acquisition, which is subject to the legislative information process involving the Company’s works council and regulatory approvals, Partners Group and PSP Investments will work with Cerba’s management team, led by CEO Catherine Courboillet, to support the numerous growth opportunities of the business. These include the continuation of the Company’s highly successful M&A strategy within the French market and internationally, as well as the acceleration of organic growth and development in other segments.

Catherine Courboillet, CEO, Cerba HealthCare, states: “Cerba has enjoyed tremendous growth in the past decade. When we approached the transition to new ownership, we focused on finding partners who would not only support a continuation of this pace of growth, but could also bring valuable support in international development. We believe we have found the right partners in Partners Group and PSP Investments and look forward to working together with them to further build on Cerba’s market-leading position.”

Kim Nguyen, Managing Director, Private Equity Europe, Partners Group, comments: “Cerba is a resilient market leader in a highly attractive and fragmented sub-sector of the healthcare industry. The unique fully integrated business model means that Cerba is ideally positioned to further consolidate the French market and accelerate organic growth. We have been impressed by Catherine Courboillet’s strategy of entering new business areas and optimizing Cerba’s retail portfolio. We look forward to working together with Catherine and her team and our investment partner PSP Investments to continue strengthening Cerba’s market leadership position.”

Simon Marc, Managing Director, Private Equity (Europe), PSP Investments, adds: “Over the last couple of decades, Catherine Courboillet and her team have grown Cerba HealthCare into the leading private medical biology laboratory business in France. Cerba has developed a unique positioning in its markets on the back of its widely recognized medical and industry expertise and we are excited about the growth prospects of the company. As a provider of long-term strategic capital, we look forward to working with Partners Group, Catherine and the management team to support Cerba’s growth in France and internationally.”

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