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LePure Biotech Closes Series C Financing Co-Led by Novo Holdings, General Atlantic, and Goldman Sachs Asset Management

General Atlantic
  • LePure Biotech is a leading provider of high-quality and innovative single-use bioprocessing solutions in China
  • Proceeds will be used to continue to accelerate product innovation and advance LePure Biotech’s go-to-market strategy

Shanghai, China – January 17, 2023 — Shanghai LePure Biotech Co., Ltd. (“LePure” or “LePure Biotech”) announced the completion of its Series C financing from a consortium of world-renowned investors co-led by Novo Holdings, General Atlantic and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, with participation from existing investors including Highlight Capital, Bayland Capital, HM Capital. LePure plans on using this funding to accelerate product innovation, promote overseas expansion, and enhance the Company’s competitiveness and influence in the global industrial chain.

LePure is a leading bioprocessing platform in China, offering full-fledged product solutions that enable the manufacturing of macromolecular drugs. LePure was founded in 2011 by Chairwoman Qin Sunxing, a seasoned entrepreneur with deep commercial and scientific experience in the bioprocessing field. Concurrent with this round of financing, LePure has completed its acquisition of QuaCell Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (“QuaCell”), marking LePure’s entry into the cell culture media business which carries substantial commercial synergies with LePure’s existing franchise. As a result, LePure’s broadened product suite now includes single use bioprocessing consumables, bioreactors, filtration and purification solutions, as well as cell culture media offerings.

As one of the earliest domestic providers of single use consumables and equipment for biopharmaceutical companies in China, LePure has kept its focus on improving research and development to deliver high-quality products for its customers. With significant progress made in basic materials R&D, product development and manufacturing capacity expansion, LePure is well positioned to capture industry growth opportunities on the back of therapeutic innovation and new drug launches.

Frank Wang, co-founder and CEO of LePure Biotech, said, “Biopharmaceutical upstream processing consumables play an important role in biological drugs R&D and production. Since its establishment, LePure Biotech has remained committed to building sustainable scientific research and innovation capabilities by improving drug development efficiency, ensuring stable and secure pilot phase production, and supporting the commercial-scale launch of new drug products. We are excited to have global investors like Novo Holdings, General Atlantic and Goldman Sachs Asset Management leading this round of financing and we look forward to our future collaboration. With the start of this new chapter, LePure will continue to focus on technological innovation and enhancing our global competitiveness to best serve our customers.”

Dr. Amit Kakar, Senior Partner and Head of Novo Holdings Asia commented: “LePure Biotech is an emerging star in the global bioprocessing space. Novo Holdings is excited to become LePure Biotech’s partner as the Company continues to gain strong momentum and profound recognition in the industry. This investment is deeply rooted within our deep expertise in the life science industry globally, and we look forward to working with LePure Biotech to play an integral role in the global pharmaceutical supply chain by offering high quality solutions and become one of the most trusted bioprocessing companies in China and globally.”

Lefei Sun, Managing Director and Head of Healthcare for China at General Atlantic, said, “Single-use bioprocessing consumables and equipment have significant market prospects in China. Since its establishment in 2011, LePure has not only enjoyed a first-mover advantage, but has also created formidable technical barriers for its competitors. The LePure team has a deep understanding of the global biopharmaceutical industry value chain, is positioned to quickly respond to market demands and shows strong expansion potential in international markets.”

Kevin Xu, a Managing Director leading healthcare and life science investments in Greater China at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, said, “Single-use bioprocessing has become widely adopted by biopharma companies globally given its operating efficiencies and rising demand for flexible manufacturing. We look forward to leveraging our global platform and capabilities to support LePure’s expansion.”

About LePure Biotech

Shanghai LePure Biotech was established in 2011. It empowers biopharma customers with high quality and innovative bioprocess solutions. LePure has comprehensive capabilities in R&D, manufacturing, and commercial operation. LePure is a customer centric company with commitment to high quality and continuous improvement. Driven by technology innovation, the company wants to be the most reliable partner of global biopharma. LePure’s product suite now includes single use system, filtration and purification solutions，cell culture media offerings after it acquired QuaCell in November 2022. Further information: https://www.lepure-bio.com.

About Novo Holdings A/S

Novo Holdings is a holding and investment company that is responsible for managing the assets of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The purpose of Novo Holdings is to improve people’s health and the sustainability of society and the planet by generating attractive long-term returns on the assets of the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

Wholly owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Novo Holdings is the controlling shareholder of Novo Nordisk and Novozymes (the Novo Group companies) and manages an investment portfolio, with a long-term return perspective. Novo Holdings invests in life science companies of all stages of development and also manages a broad portfolio of equities, bonds, real estate and infrastructure assets as well as private equity investments. As of year-end 2021, Novo Holdings had total assets of USD 106 billion. Further information: www.novoholdings.dk.

About General Atlantic

General Atlantic is a leading global growth equity firm with more than four decades of experience providing capital and strategic support for over 445 growth companies throughout its history. Established in 1980 to partner with visionary entrepreneurs and deliver lasting impact, the firm combines a collaborative global approach, sector specific expertise, a long-term investment horizon and a deep understanding of growth drivers to partner with great entrepreneurs and management teams to scale innovative businesses around the world. General Atlantic currently has over $73 billion in assets under management inclusive of all products as of September 30, 2022, and more than 215 investment professionals based in New York, Amsterdam, Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta, London, Mexico City, Miami, Mumbai, Munich, Palo Alto, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Stamford and Tel Aviv. For more information on General Atlantic, please visit the website: www.generalatlantic.com.

About Goldman Sachs Asset Management Growth Equity

Bringing together traditional and alternative investments, Goldman Sachs Asset Management provides clients around the world with a dedicated partnership and focus on long-term performance. As the primary investing area within Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), we deliver investment and advisory services for the world’s leading institutions, financial advisors and individuals, drawing from our deeply connected global network and tailored expert insights, across every region and market—overseeing over $2.4 trillion in assets under supervision worldwide as of September 30, 2022. Driven by a passion for our clients’ performance, we seek to build long-term relationships based on conviction, sustainable outcomes, and shared success over time.

 

Media Contacts

Emily Japlon & Gurion Kastenberg
General Atlantic media@generalatlantic.com

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Ardian announces Japanese fashion house and art gallery Hauser & Wirth as new tenants of its prestigious Renaissance complex

Ardian

17 January 2023 Real EstateFrance, Paris

The complex was  by Ardian in May 2018 and is located in the heart of the Parisian Golden Triangle, the city’s fashion hotspot. It will now become the home of a major Japanese fashion house and the Hauser & Wirth art gallery.

Ardian, a world-leading private investment house, acquired the 9,300m² property in May 2018. Consisting of three private mansions, its name, Renaissance, was inspired by the ambitions of Ardian, architectural firm CALQ and decorator Tristan Auer to create an exceptionally unique and modern space in an exclusive and sought-after location.

Swiss gallery Hauser & Wirth, famous for its modern and contemporary art collection, had spent 15 years searching for the perfect location to establish itself in Paris, which is renowned for its rich cultural scene and the Paris+ contemporary art fair by Art Basel. Hauser & Wirth fell under the spell of this unique building, which met all of its criteria.  The gallery will exhibit a range of artists at the heart of the capital in one of the private mansions.

Hauser & Wirth will be joined by an exclusive Japanese fashion house. Its owners were attracted to Renaissance by its prime location and design, reminiscent of the most illustrious Parisian haute couture addresses.

“It is a great source of pride for Ardian’s Real Estate teams to have envisioned and delivered this project alongside the teams at CALQ and Tristan Auer. The trust that the building’s future tenants have placed in us is testament to the success of our ambition to create a unique and timeless place in the heart of Paris. Renaissance reflects the beauty and creativity that characterize Paris – the capital of fashion, art and culture.” Stéphanie Bensimon, Head of Real Estate, Ardian

ADVISORS

  • Ardian

    • Commercialization advisor: Advisor2, SCC Vendôme

 

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house, managing or advising $140bn of assets on behalf of more than 1,400 clients globally. Our broad expertise, spanning Private Equity, Real Assets and Credit, enables us to offer a wide range of investment opportunities and respond flexibly to our clients’ differing needs. Through Ardian Customized Solutions we create bespoke portfolios that allow institutional clients to specify the precise mix of assets they require and to gain access to funds managed by leading third-party sponsors. Private Wealth Solutions offers dedicated services and access solutions for private banks, family offices and private institutional investors worldwide. Ardian is majority-owned by its employees and places great emphasis on developing its people and fostering a collaborative culture based on collective intelligence. Our 1,000+ employees, spread across 15 offices in Europe, the Americas and Asia, are strongly committed to the principles of Responsible Investment and are determined to make finance a force for good in society. Our goal is to deliver excellent investment performance combined with high ethical standards and social responsibility.
At Ardian we invest all of ourselves in building companies that last.

ardian.com

Press contact

Ardian

HEADLAND

ardian@headlandconsultancy.com

 

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Interalu attracts growth capital from Waterland to accelerate its international expansion as a market leader in sustainable climate ceilings.

Waterland

Interalu, based in Wilrijk (Antwerp), has over the past 50 years gained a leading position in the market for climate ceilings for non-residential buildings. Climate ceilings control the indoor climate with the highest level of comfort by means of heating and cooling radiation. Interalu is a frontrunner within the industry in terms of technology, sustainability and circularity.
Under the leadership of the Schrauwen family, the group has become the market leader in Belgium and Interalu has created compelling momentum in France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

With an ambition to accelerate growth and expand internationally, Interalu has engaged Waterland to support the next phase of growth. The execution of their joint growth plans will build on Interalu’s existing unique value proposition, in which the trust relationship with customers as well as innovation and sustainability are central.

Anthony Schrauwen (CEO): “With Waterland we have found a very complementary and experienced partner who can help our family business to realize the next step. Together with the entire Interalu team, I am very much looking forward to working with Waterland and supporting existing and future customers across Europe in meeting their sustainability targets.”

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AURELIUS Equity Opportunities to seek segment change

Aurelius Capital
  • Segment change from qualified Open Market (m:access) to general Open Market intended
  • Considerable savings of time and money for the company
  • Rights of shareholders linked to their shares will be preserved

Grünwald, January 16, 2023 – The Board of Directors of the general partner of AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA (ISIN DE000A0JK2A8) will seek a segment change. The company assumes that its shares will be traded in the general Open Market at a stock exchange after a transition period. The current inclusion in the qualified Open Market (m:access segment of the Munich Stock Exchange) will end. The decision was reached after carefully weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the quotation of the shares.

AURELIUS Equity Opportunities has undergone a substantial transformation in the last 15 years, developing from a turnaround investor focused on Germany to a member of the pan-European AURELIUS Group specializing in private equity, private debt, and real estate.

Already since 2013, there has been no need for the company to make use of the funding possibilities afforded by the quotation of the shares in the qualified Open Market to raise equity capital. At the same time, the financial and regulatory effort entailed by the quotation of the shares in this segment, which in some cases also creates disadvantages for the company’s day-to-day business, has risen considerably in the last few years. The intended segment change was decided after a careful assessment of the corresponding advantages and disadvantages, on the basis of which it was determined that a quotation of the shares in the qualified Open Market is no longer necessary.

Therefore, the Board of Directors resolved today to file an application to revoke the quotation of the shares of AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA in the m:access segment and to revoke the inclusion in the Open Market of the Munich Stock Exchange. AURELIUS Equity Opportunities further assumes that its shares will be traded in the general Open Market at another stock exchange in the future as well.

The rights of existing shareholders linked to their shares will be preserved after this segment change. The exact timing of the discontinuation of trading will depend on the corresponding decision to be made by the Munich Stock Exchange. The transition period could last for up to one year or possibly longer.

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HQ Group has reached an agreement with investment company NPM Capital.

NPM Capital
HQ Group, market leader in the development, production, cleaning and reuse of innovative and high-quality packaging solutions for the high-tech industry, has reached an agreement with investment company NPM Capital to welcome them as new majority shareholder. This transaction enables HQ Group to secure a long-term shareholder base, as well as support for HQ Group’s expansion strategy and international growth. NPM Capital is looking forward to the future collaboration with the current management team. HQ Group is based in Eindhoven and has worldwide activities and production locations, including state-of-the-art cleanroom facilities in Europe, America and Asia. Completion of the proposed transaction is subject to regulatory approval (ACM).

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Montagu agrees to sell Maincare

Montagu

Montagu, a leading European private equity firm, is pleased to announce that it has agreed to sell Maincare, a provider of software for French public hospitals and health authorities, to Docaposte, the digital arm of La Poste, the French postal service.

Maincare provides an end-to-end hospital information system offering in France, where it is a leader in electronic patient records as well as hospital administration, interoperability, and telemedicine solutions. Through its integrated software suite, it assists public hospitals, payers, and insurers to implement successful digital strategies for the benefit of patients.

Since Montagu acquired Maincare in 2018, it has worked with the business to respond to the rapidly changing needs of policymakers and hospitals, in particular in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Significant investments in R&D led to the development of new-generation electronic patient records as well as the modernisation of Maincare’s technology ensuring that products are interoperable, SaaS-ready, and at the forefront of innovation in terms of cyber-security.

Under Montagu’s ownership, Maincare’s historically acquired business lines were combined from an organisational and technology standpoint, introducing a shared vision and strategy to the business and driving efficiencies. Led by a strong and unified management team, the changes helped to establish a customer-centric culture which put the needs of medical personnel and patients at the centre of the organisation.

Montagu Partner Guillaume Jabalot said, “Maincare is a great example of Montagu’s strategy of partnering with leading companies offering critical products and services. We are proud of the success Maincare has achieved and we are certain that the company will continue to thrive under the ownership of Docaposte. We especially would like to thank the management team and all Maincare’s employees for their hard work and dedication and we wish them all the best on their future journey.”

Maincare is a great example of Montagu’s strategy of partnering with leading companies offering critical products and services.

Guillaume Jabalot, Partner, Montagu

François-Xavier Floren, CEO of Maincare, commented: “The partnership with Docaposte will allow us to address one of the major challenges of our market – the importance of offering customers long-term support with a trusted partner present in software, hosting and services. Over the last two years, with the support of Montagu, we successfully carried out a transformation plan aimed at improving one of the persistent challenges of the French hospital system by “Giving time back to the Caregivers”. The management team and all Maincare’s employees are confident that the partnership with Docaposte will bring further significant value to our clients and to the market.”

Over the last two years, with the support of Montagu, we successfully carried out a transformation plan aimed at improving one of the persistent challenges of the French hospital system by “Giving time back to the Caregivers”.

François-Xavier Floren, CEO, Maincare

The transaction remains subject to the approval of the French competition authority.

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Ratos company Speed Group wins the Stora Hållbarhetspriset sustainability award

Ratos

Speed Group named winner of the Stora Hållbarhetspriset award for 2022. The prize is awarded by Borås Näringsliv (the Borås local business association), the University of Borås, the City of Borås and Sparbanken Sjuhärad through its owner foundation.

Speed won the prize, with the following citation: “With a clear focus on the environment that is central to the customer dialogue, and with the largest rooftop photovoltaic system in the Nordics, this year’s winner is growing quickly. The 2022 Stora Hållbarhetspriset recipient has a goal of becoming carbon neutral by no later than 2025. Suppliers for this year’s prize-winner must meet requirements for more sustainable materials, energy solutions, transportation and work clothes. Through initiatives both large and small, the winner makes a difference and demonstrates that ecological, social and financial responsibility can go hand in hand. The winner of this year’s prize intends to support innovations related to the environment and contribute to a more inclusive local community where children and young people have a fair chance. Based on its long-term and goal-oriented sustainability agenda, the jury awards the Stora Hållbarhetspriset to Speed Group.

“Sustainability is a prerequisite for remaining an attractive employer and continuing to provide an attractive customer offering. Speed Group has integrated sustainability into its core operations in an exemplary manner. Speed Group is honoured to receive this award,” says Christian Johansson Gebauer, Chairman of the Board of Speed Group and President, Business Area Construction & Services, Ratos.

“It’s incredibly exciting to win a prestigious award like the Stora Hållbarhetspriset and validation that our focus on sustainability is making a difference. Sustainability permeates everything we do and it’s gratifying to see that employees in every department share this mindset. This distinction is a source of pride for Speed Group and will spur everyone to continue this important work,” says Jesper Andersson, CEO of Speed Group.

About the Stora Hållbarhetspriset sustainability award
The Stora Hållbarhetspriset was established in 2021 by Borås Näringsliv, the University of Borås, the City of Borås and Sparbanken Sjuhärad through its owner foundation to inspire and encourage sustainable development that generates growth.

About Speed Group
Speed offers sustainable, flexible and innovative solutions to complex logistics and staffing challenges. Sustainability permeates the entire business, and the aim is to be carbon neutral by 2025. Speed has its head office in Borås, Sweden, and logistics centres in Borås, Gothenburg and Stockholm covering a combined total of more than 220,000 square metres. The company has sales of just over SEK 1.2 billion and approximately 1,500 employees.

For further information, please contact:
Josefine Uppling, VP Communication, Ratos, +46 76 114 54 21

About Ratos
Ratos is a business group consisting of 16 companies divided into three business areas: Construction & Services, Consumer and Industry. In total 2021, the companies have approximately SEK 30 billion in net sales. Our business concept is to own and develop companies that are or can become market leaders. We have a distinct corporate culture and strategy – everything we do is based on our core values: Simplicity, Speed in execution and It’s All About People. We enable independent companies to excel by being part of something larger. People, leadership, culture and values are key focus areas.

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Waterland acquires underground infrastructure specialist Van Vulpen

Mentha

Van Vulpen, a specialist in underground infrastructure, has found a new owner in Waterland Private Equity. The majority interest of Mentha and the management’s shareholding will be fully transferred to Waterland, with the current management reinvesting.

Van Vulpen is one of the top contractors in the Netherlands focusing on underground infrastructure, particularly in regard to electricity, gas and water. The Gorinchem-based company specializes in horizontal directional drilling, which enables it to lay pipelines and cables underground over large distances with minimal impact on the environment. Van Vulpen is highly regarded for the quality it delivers, its process-based approach and its leading position in the field of sustainability. This is underlined by the duration of its partnerships and its healthy contract portfolio. In 2019, Mentha took a majority stake in the company to further professionalize its operations and facilitate growth. Waterland is now taking up the challenge of further shaping this successful process.

Growth and professionalization
Mentha has spent the last few years making Van Vulpen stronger as a company, and less dependent on a few key figures within the organization, while nurturing the knowledge and experience that was available. For example, internally developed software was converted to a low-code platform so that the knowledge of external experts can also be used for its maintenance and further development.

Ralph Peeters has been in the role of general manager for a year now. He has built on the strong foundation that was already in place when he arrived. Under Mentha’s care, sales have grown by more than 40 percent since the end of 2019.

Ralph Peeters, general director of Van Vulpen, comments: “When I took office at the beginning of 2022, I joined a dynamic company with plenty of promise for the future. Talented employees, long-term relationships with clients and partners, and the quality of the work provided ensure a healthy starting position for further growth. We are grateful to my predecessor and to Mentha for this development and look forward to continuing this growth trajectory together with Waterland.”

Gijs Botman, partner at Mentha, adds: “Van Vulpen and Mentha share a similar drive: collaboration, quality and focus on effective digitization and processes. In 2019 we were impressed by what Van Vulpen had achieved so far and saw growth potential, which we were able to realize in a short time together with its strong team. The collaboration is now coming to an end, but we are convinced that Van Vulpen is in good hands with Waterland to ensure further growth.”

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Altor above 10% of the share capital in FLSmidth A/S

We hereby announce that we, Altor Fund Manager AB (“Altor”), on January 19th 2023 have increased our holding of shares in FLSmidth A/S (“FLSmidth”) to 10.5% of the issued and outstanding share capital and voting rights of FLSmidth. The rationale behind Altor’s acquisition of shares is further explained in the press release posted in the morning of January 19th 2023.

Altor controls, through Altor Fund (No.1) AB and Altor Fund V (No. 2) AB, the subsidiary, NewCo December 2022 AS (“NewCo”), who is the direct holder of shares in FLSmidth.

For more information, please contact:

Tor Krusell, Head of Communications, tor.krusell@altor.com, +46 705 43 87 47

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3i-backed WilsonHCG acquires Personify

3I

3i Group plc (“3i”) today announces that WilsonHCG, an award-winning, global leader in talent solutions, has acquired Personify, a leading provider of recruitment process outsourcing (“RPO”) services to specialised end markets including life sciences, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and healthcare. The total purchase price was not disclosed, but as part of the transaction, 3i will invest c.$7m of additional capital alongside a significant reinvestment from Personify’s management.

Headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, Personify offers a turnkey talent solution that spans the entire talent acquisition life cycle, including services such as labour market analysis, candidate marketing, sourcing, interviewing, assessments, overall candidate management, and onboarding. The company focuses on higher-end, more specialised roles, often for hard-to-fill or high-demand positions in its core end markets.

Personify is a leader in its core markets and well regarded for its service quality, partnership mentality with clients and its flexible delivery model. Personify has consistently grown at rates that are above the broader RPO industry, and forecasts continued strong growth over the next few years, capitalising on many of the same favourable tailwinds that have benefitted WilsonHCG, including increasing adoption of outsourced talent acquisition solutions.

The acquisition provides WilsonHCG with further exposure to the attractive life sciences and healthcare markets, which represent key growth markets for both companies. Personify also provides additional capabilities to better serve existing customers and to expand the types of services that WilsonHCG can offer in the market. WilsonHCG’s global presence (with resources in 65 countries) and breadth of talent solutions will allow Personify to better serve its existing customers, including internationally, which is a key differentiator in today’s competitive talent environment.

Today’s acquisition is the third for WilsonHCG since 3i’s investment in February 2021 and follows the acquisition of Claro Analytics, a labour market intelligence platform, in February 2022, and Tracking Talent, an RPO headquartered in South Africa, in October 2022.

Ryan Carfley, President and CEO, Personify, said: “We are very pleased to be joining WilsonHCG. I have known John Wilson for many years, and there is a great cultural fit between our organisations. The partnership will enable us to scale our presence in our end markets and deliver globally for our existing clients.”

John Wilson, CEO, WilsonHCG, said: “Personify operates in attractive, growing areas in the RPO industry and its highly specialised capabilities will be an asset to WilsonHCG. We look forward to welcoming Personify and working closely with Ryan Carfley and his team to support Personify’s growth ambitions, especially as it pertains to delivering solutions internationally.”

Rahul Lulla, Partner, 3i, said: “WilsonHCG and Personify have strong alignment with complementary business models and customer-first mentalities. We look forward to supporting the teams as they continue to deliver great results for their existing customers and win new accounts.”

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