Category Archives: News

Main Capital Partners announces strategic partnership with Norwegian enterprise fintech platform Aritma

Main Capital Partners

The partnership will accelerate Aritma’s European expansion, boost innovation in financial automation, and enable strategic growth through acquisitions.

Stockholm, May 1, 2025 – Main Capital Partners (“Main”) is acquiring a majority stake in Aritma, a fast-growing Norwegian fintech offering cloud-based solutions for payments, reconciliation, and bookkeeping automation. This Main Foundation II investment further strengthens Main’s presence in the Nordic enterprise software landscape. Through the partnership, Main will support Aritma’s continued expansion of its product suite, international growth, and selective strategic acquisitions.

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Bergen, Aritma is a key enabler for ERP vendors, accounting platforms, and financial institutions. Its modular, API-first platform connects ERP systems with the banking ecosystem, automating essential financial workflows such as payments, reconciliation, and data validation. Today, the company serves approximately 900 customers, including leading ERP providers, supported by a modern tech stack and scalable architecture suited for high-volume, regulated use cases.

Attractive market dynamics and international scalability
The primary motivations behind the strategic partnership with Aritma are its strong product-market fit, deep workflow integration, and high scalability. In an increasingly regulated and digitized financial environment, Aritma enables customers to automate critical financial operations while ensuring compliance with evolving standards. This backdrop, combined with structural drivers such as growing regulatory complexity, rising demand for real-time financial data, and the shift to cloud-based infrastructure, creates a favorable environment for Aritma’s modern platform and extensive bank integration network.

The company is ready to accelerate international expansion, building on its Nordic footprint and growing embedded partner model. Leveraging Main’s strategic expertise and track record in supporting cross-border growth, both organically and through acquisitions, Aritma aims to become a leading European platform for payment and reconciliation automation. The experienced management team will remain closely involved post-closing to help drive the next phase of growth alongside Main.

We are excited to partner with the Aritma team as they continue building one of the most compelling platforms in financial workflow automation.

– Wessel Ploegmakers, Partner at Main Capital Partners

Thor Kristian Seth, CEO of Aritma: “We are very proud to announce our partnership with Main Capital Partners, a collaboration that marks a key milestone in Aritma’s history. Main’s proven track record in building and scaling software companies fits perfectly with our ambitions. Together, we are committed to accelerating Aritma’s growth, expanding into new markets, and strengthening our position as a trusted enabler of financial automation in Europe”

Wessel Ploegmakers, Partner at Main Capital Partners: “We are excited to partner with the Aritma team as they continue building one of the most compelling platforms in financial workflow automation. Aritma’s strong market position, modern architecture, and mission-critical offering make it a great fit with our investment strategy. Together, we look forward to accelerating their international growth and supporting the next phase of their journey”

About Aritma

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Bergen, Aritma is a cloud-native provider of banking and finance automation solutions. The company’s API-first platform connects ERP systems with the banking ecosystem, streamlining critical processes such as payments, bank reconciliation, and data validation. Aritma serves approximately 900 customers across the Nordics, including leading ERP vendors, accounting platforms, and financial institutions, with a growing presence across Europe. Its modular infrastructure is designed to support high-volume, regulated environments and enable automation at scale.

Nothing contained in this Press Release is intended to project, predict, guarantee, or forecast the future performance of any investment. This Press Release is for information purposes only and is not investment advice or an offer to buy or sell any securities or to invest in any funds or other investment vehicles managed by Main Capital Partners or any other person.

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Liftoff Announces Minority Growth Equity Investment from General Atlantic at $4.3 Billion Valuation

Blackstone

Partnership underscores Liftoff’s industry leadership as an AI-enabled growth platform for the mobile app economy

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – May 5, 2025 – Liftoff, a global leader in performance marketing and monetization solutions for the app economy, today announced that private equity funds managed by Blackstone (“Blackstone”) signed an agreement to sell a minority stake in Liftoff to General Atlantic, a leading global investor. As part of the terms of the transaction, long-time investor Blackstone will remain as the majority shareholder.

Liftoff is a leading AI-enabled end-to-end platform that enables mobile developers to build, drive discovery of, and monetize their apps. Blackstone drove the formation of the company from the transformative merger of its portfolio companies Liftoff and Vungle in 2021, which combined two scaled and highly complementary industry leaders. Following the merger, Liftoff has grown rapidly under CEO Jeremy Bondy and the current management team through an expanded portfolio of solutions and industry-leading product and technical innovation.

General Atlantic has a long history of investing in disruptive consumer technology businesses. General Atlantic will join Blackstone in supporting Liftoff’s next phase of growth as it scales its proprietary Cortex AI platform, builds on its leadership across the broader app economy, and looks to add capabilities through strategic M&A.

Jeremy Bondy, CEO of Liftoff, said: “This moment represents a potent combination of continuity and ambition. Our partnership with Blackstone has been transformative – over the past three years, we’ve merged Liftoff and Vungle, launched Cortex, and delivered significant momentum. The investment from General Atlantic is a testament to that progress, marking the next phase of our ascent and reinforcing our leadership across performance-driven mobile growth. While I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, we’re still in the early innings of growth in a large and rapidly evolving category, with a team built for this moment and the rare opportunity to shape its future. We look forward to building the leading platform for the largest and fastest growing media environment in the world: the mobile phone.”

Tanzeen Syed, Managing Director and Head of Consumer Internet and Technology at General Atlantic, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Jeremy and his management team to help fulfill Liftoff’s vision of serving the mobile app ecosystem and continuing to power growth through its combination of innovative AI technology, superior execution, and unwavering customer centricity. Liftoff has reached an exciting business inflection point, and we look forward to providing support alongside Blackstone, who have shepherded the Company through a transformative period.”

Sachin Bavishi, Senior Managing Director at Blackstone, said: “It has been a pleasure to work alongside Jeremy and the entire management team over the past five years through Liftoff’s evolution into a leading mobile app growth platform. This investment is a prime example of Blackstone’s approach to partnering with highly talented management teams and deeply supporting them with value-added resources and expertise to drive material business transformation and outsized results for all stakeholders. We are thrilled to continue this journey with Liftoff and welcome General Atlantic as a new investor as we jointly support the company’s rapid growth trajectory.”

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Jefferies LLC are serving as financial advisors and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is acting as legal advisor to Liftoff and Blackstone. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is serving as financial advisor and Paul Weiss is serving as legal advisor to General Atlantic. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions and is expected to close in mid-2025.

About Liftoff
Liftoff helps mobile businesses maximize their revenue. It provides machine learning-powered marketing, monetization, and creative solutions that create better ad experiences and connect people with the products they love. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Redwood City, CA, Liftoff has a diverse, global presence.

About General Atlantic
General Atlantic is a leading global investor with more than four and a half decades of experience providing capital and strategic support for over 830 companies throughout its history. Established in 1980, General Atlantic continues to be a dedicated partner to visionary founders and investors seeking to build dynamic businesses and create long-term value. Guided by the conviction that entrepreneurs can be incredible agents of transformational change, 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 and scale innovative businesses around the world. The firm leverages its patient capital, operational expertise, and global platform to support a diversified investment platform spanning Growth Equity, Credit, Climate, and Sustainable Infrastructure strategies. General Atlantic manages approximately $108 billion in assets under management, inclusive of all strategies, as of March 31, 2025, with more than 900 professionals in 20 countries across five regions. For more information on General Atlantic, please visit: www.generalatlantic.com.

About Blackstone
Blackstone is the world’s largest alternative asset manager. Blackstone seeks to deliver compelling returns for institutional and individual investors by strengthening the companies in which the firm invests. Blackstone’s nearly $1.2 trillion in assets under management include global investment strategies focused on real estate, private equity, credit, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, secondaries and hedge funds. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow @blackstone on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Instagram.
 
Media Contacts

Liftoff
Casie A. Jordan
cjordan@liftoff.io
732-614-3880

General Atlantic
Emily Japlon & Sara Widmann
media@generalatlantic.com

Blackstone
Matthew Anderson
matthew.anderson@blackstone.com
518-248-7310

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PeakAvenue strengthens its product and knowledge leadership in FMEA software by joining forces with APIS

Main Capital Partners

PeakAvenue accelerates its buy-and-build strategy with APIS acquisition, strengthening product leadership, global footprint, and value creation in critical software markets.

Düsseldorf, May 5th 2025 – PeakAvenue, a leading provider of Engineering & Quality Management software, acquired the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (“FMEA”) software specialist APIS Informationstechnologien (“APIS”). With the two companies joining forces, PeakAvenue strengthens its product and knowledge leadership in FMEA software. The acquisition of APIS marks the fourth acquisition in PeakAvenue’s buy-and-build strategy backed by Main Capital Partners.

Founded in 1988 and headquartered at Wörth an der Donau (Germany), APIS provides FMEA and risk analysis software. APIS’s software helps to systematically identify potential failure modes, assess their impact, and prioritize them for mitigation. The impact on companies using the solutions is an early failure prevention and improved regulatory compliance, leading in each case to substantial savings. The company employs more than 50 employees and serves a diverse blue chip customer base of more than 1,500 customers from various industries. Reference customers include Infineon, ZF, Bosch and Schaeffler.

The business combination will not only strengthen PeakAvenue’s knowledge and product leadership in FMEA and functional safety software but will also provide its customers the benefit of an integrated product suite covering the entire digital thread – from idea to product over the entire product lifecycle. This includes – amongst others – the deep integration of FMEA software with PeakAvenue’s best-of-breed software offerings in RAMS (reliability, availability, maintainability, safety) and quality management.

With APIS’s strong presence in the US and in Asia, PeakAvenue will also further expand its growing US footprint and significantly increase its customer base in Asia. The combined group employs a seasoned team of over 200 employees with offices in Germany, the US, the UK, and China and serves 3,000 customers around the globe.

Dorian Berndt, Investment Director at Main Capital Partners

The acquisition of APIS will significantly strengthen PeakAvenue in its quest to become a global leader in engineering & quality management software.”

– Dorian Berndt, Investment Director at Main Capital Partners

Peter Rosenbeck and Julia Dietz, Co-CEOs of APIS, comment: “The sale of APIS to PeakAvenue represents a significant step in our company’s history. We are delighted that our company and our solutions will now continue in such a forward-looking and innovative environment. We are convinced that APIS will benefit enormously from being part of this new, global force – and that together we will set new standards in the world of engineering and quality management. This partnership will create real value for our employees, customers and the industry as a whole.”

Ulrich Mangold, CEO at PeakAvenue, emphasizes: ”We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of APIS, a renowned provider of world-class FMEA software. This strategic addition marks a significant milestone in enhancing the PeakAvenue platform. By integrating APIS’s FMEA capabilities into our cloud-based solution, we will significantly elevate the value delivered to our customers. The integration will enable seamlessly connected quality loops, access to intelligent AI-driven solutions, and audit-proof data storage—further strengthening our commitment to smarter, more integrated engineering and quality management.”

Dorian Berndt, Investment Director at Main Capital Partners, concludes: “Managing the ever-growing complexity in product development and quality management processes has been the focus of PeakAvenue’s buy-and-build strategy. We see FMEA software as key to operate safety critical functions reliably, reducing the risk of accidents and system failures. The acquisition of APIS will significantly strengthen PeakAvenue in its quest to become a global leader in engineering & quality management software.”

About APIS

Established in 1988, APIS is a software provider in the FMEA software space. With around 53 employees across three subsidiaries in Germany, USA and China, APIS provides functional safety analysis, FMEA, FTA and design review by failure mode applications. APIS’ software is used by over 1,500 companies worldwide with customers from various engineering verticals such as transportation, telecommunications, electronics and automotive.

About PeakAvenue

PeakAvenue is a dynamic and innovative international provider of software solutions specializing on engineering and quality management. With a focus on setting new benchmarks across the product life cycle, the company empowers organizations to work smarter and more efficiently in an increasingly complex environment. Through the strategic integration of best-in-class companies in the domains of RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability & Safety), Risk Management, and Quality Management Systems (QMS), PeakAvenue delivers a unified, user experience–optimized platform that supports the entire digital thread. This modular integration acts as a cohesive force, seamlessly aligning and enhancing customer workflows. With over 30 years of industry expertise, PeakAvenue serves a global customer base exceeding 2,500 organizations.

Nothing contained in this Press Release is intended to project, predict, guarantee, or forecast the future performance of any investment. This Press Release is for information purposes only and is not investment advice or an offer to buy or sell any securities or to invest in any funds or other investment vehicles managed by Main Capital Partners or any other person.

Categories: News

Elanco Sells Royalty and Milestone Rights for Lotilaner in Human Health to Blackstone; Accelerates Debt Paydown

Blackstone

GREENFIELD, Ind. (May 5, 2025) Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE: ELAN) today announced the sale of certain future tiered royalties and commercial milestones associated with XDEMVY® (lotilaner ophthalmic solution) 0.25%, for the human health application of lotilaner, to funds affiliated with Blackstone Life Sciences and Blackstone Credit & Insurance for $295 million in cash. Monetization of this non-core asset will be used to accelerate debt reduction, positioning Elanco to achieve an expected net leverage ratio of 3.9x to 4.3x adjusted EBITDA by the end of 2025. Elanco will repay portions of its outstanding term loans on a pro-rata basis, which is expected to reduce interest expense by approximately $10 million, offset by the sale of approximately $10 million of royalties based on Elanco’s initial 2025 guidance.

In 2019, Elanco exclusively licensed lotilaner to Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: TARS) for exploration as a solution to several unmet human health needs. In 2023, XDEMVY became the first lotilaner-based product approved for human use and the only FDA-approved medicine for treatment of Demodex blepharitis (DB), a common eyelid disease in humans caused by Demodex mites.

“Elanco’s team of scientific experts is focused on identifying and developing molecules to generate high-impact innovation, not just in our own portfolio, but in adjacent industries to create broader value,” said Jeff Simmons, Elanco President and CEO. “As we continue to focus on launching our recent innovation and accelerating our core business sales growth in 2025, this transaction delivers incremental cash that advances our deleveraging goals making high 3x net leverage a real possibility by the end of 2025. We appreciate Blackstone’s collaborative investment to further Elanco’s goals and their recognition of the positive potential impact of XDEMVY on millions of DB patients in the U.S.”

“Elanco’s innovation served as the basis for XDEMVY’s strong efficacy and safety profile, and Tarsus’ executional strength has led to its rapid adoption and commercial success. We are pleased to partner with both leading pharmaceutical companies and back this first-in-class treatment that addresses a pervasive and damaging eyelid disease,” said Craig Shepherd and Kiran Reddy, MD, Senior Managing Directors, Blackstone Life Sciences.

The agreement applies to certain tiered royalties associated with the U.S. net sales of XDEMVY from April 2025 through August 2033 and certain commercial milestones. Elanco retains the rights to all royalty payments on net sales outside the U.S. as well as any future human applications of lotilaner beyond ophthalmic solutions.   

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC acted as the sole structuring agent.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including, without limitation, statements concerning the expected financial impacts of the royalty sale on our financial results, plans for using the cash we receive in the sale, and expected financial results for 2025. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, by their nature, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. As a result, our actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include regional, national or global political, economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory conditions, including our ability to recognize the expected financial and cash generation benefits of the transaction and additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements described in the company’s latest Form 10-K and Form 10-Qs filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We caution you against relying on any forward-looking statements, which should also be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included elsewhere in this press release. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release speaks only as of the date thereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or to revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

About Elanco
Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE: ELAN) is a global leader in animal health dedicated to innovating and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets, creating value for farmers, pet owners, veterinarians, stakeholders and society as a whole. With 70 years of animal health heritage, we are committed to breaking boundaries and going beyond to help our customers improve the health of animals in their care, while also making a meaningful impact on our local and global communities. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our Elanco Healthy Purpose™ sustainability pillars – all to advance the health of animals, people, the planet and our enterprise. Learn more at www.elanco.com.

About Blackstone Life Sciences
Blackstone Life Sciences (BXLS) is an industry-leading private investment platform with capabilities to invest across the life cycle of companies and products within the key life science sectors. By combining scale investments and hands-on operational leadership, BXLS helps bring to market promising new medicines and medical technologies that improve patients’ lives and currently has $12 billion in assets under management.

About Blackstone Credit & Insurance
Blackstone Credit & Insurance (“BXCI”) is one of the world’s leading credit investors. Our investments span the credit markets, including private investment grade, asset-based lending, public investment grade and high yield, sustainable resources, infrastructure debt, collateralized loan obligations, direct lending and opportunistic credit. We seek to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for institutional and individual investors by offering companies capital needed to strengthen and grow their businesses. BXCI is also a leading provider of investment management services for insurers, helping those companies better deliver for policyholders through our world-class capabilities in investment grade private credit.

Elanco Contact
Investors: Tiffany Kanaga
(765) 740-0314
tiffany.kanaga@elancoah.com

Media: Colleen Dekker
(317) 989-7011
colleen.dekker@elancoah.com

Blackstone Contact
David Vitek
David.Vitek@blackstone.com

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Thoma Bravo Announces More Than $100M Strategic Growth Investment in HubSync

Thomabravo

MIAMI and FRANKLIN, Tenn.—Thoma Bravo, a leading software investment firm, today announced a strategic growth investment of more than $100 million in HubSync, the premier all-in-one tax and accounting platform, automating CPA firms. The investment is expected to accelerate HubSync’s product roadmap and customer service, as well as enable continued growth and innovation.

HubSync is a leader in tax and accounting automation and client experience, empowering accounting firms and tax professionals with its innovative platform that drives efficiency, accuracy, and enhanced workflows for its clients. More than 85% of top CPA firms rely on five or more software point solutions to manage their workflows—which allow all-in-one modern and automated solutions like HubSync to drive significant ROI in comparison.

Founded in 2019, HubSync has experienced rapid growth, achieving 744% revenue expansion from 2020 to 2024 while delivering strong profitability. Today, HubSync serves some of the largest CPA firms in the U.S. who have transformed their client facing experience and internal accounting preparation workflow with HubSync’s innovative solutions. HubSync has over 40% of the top 25 accounting firms in the United States as customers, with a robust pipeline of future growth.

“HubSync’s mission to modernize tax and accounting technology has reshaped the industry,” said John McGowan, Founder and CEO of HubSync. “Thoma Bravo’s expertise in scaling software companies will help accelerate our innovation, expand our industry reach, and enhance the value we deliver to our clients.”

Prior to founding HubSync, John spent more than 20 years driving technology and innovation as KPMG’s Chief Information Officer for global tax and and leading Tax Technology at Deloitte.

“This investment is a testament to the strength of our platform and team. We look forward to partnering with Thoma Bravo to drive further growth and transformation of the tax and accounting landscape,” says John McGowan.

“HubSync’s cutting-edge technology and market leadership position it as a standout in the tax and accounting software space,” said Ross Devor, a Partner at Thoma Bravo. “John and his team have used their deep industry experience to build a platform that meets the critical needs of tax and accounting professionals as they seek to unlock efficiencies and streamline their workflows, as well as elevate customer experience and satisfaction. We see tremendous potential to scale HubSync’s solutions and capture a larger share of this growing market.”

“We’ve been impressed by HubSync’s rapid growth and innovative approach,” said Dillon Biddiscombe, a Vice President at Thoma Bravo. “We’re excited to leverage our operational expertise to support HubSync’s next phase of expansion.”

Kaizen Equity Partners served as financial advisor and Taft Law acted as legal counsel to HubSync. Goodwin served as legal counsel to Thoma Bravo.

About HubSync
HubSync is a leading provider of tax compliance and workflow automation software currently servicing the leading CPA firms across the US and Canada, representing over 100% customer growth over the last year. Headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee, HubSync was founded in 2019 and has been recognized on the 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 for its 550% revenue growth. For more information, visit www.hubsync.com.

About Thoma Bravo
Thoma Bravo is one of the largest software-focused investors in the world, with over US$179 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2024. Through its private equity, growth equity and credit strategies, the firm invests in growth-oriented, innovative companies operating in the software and technology sectors. Leveraging Thoma Bravo’s deep sector knowledge and strategic and operational expertise, the firm collaborates with its portfolio companies to implement operating best practices and drive growth initiatives. Over the past 20+ years, the firm has acquired or invested in approximately 520 companies representing approximately US$275 billion in enterprise value (including control and non-control investments). The firm has offices in Chicago, Dallas, London, Miami, New York and San Francisco. For more information, visit Thoma Bravo’s website at thomabravo.com.

Read the release on PR Newswire here.

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Ivanti Announces Successful Refinancing and New Capital Infusion to Support Key Strategic Initiatives

Clearlake

Optimized Capital Structure Bolsters Ability to Invest Across Full Spectrum of IT, Network Security, and Exposure Management to Empower Customers’ Business Goals

May 2, 2025 — SALT LAKE CITY — Ivanti, the enterprise software company that provides a comprehensive IT and security cloud-based platform, announced today that it has successfully closed a refinancing transaction. This was achieved with the support of an overwhelming majority of its existing lenders.

As part of this transaction, Ivanti raised $350 million of new capital and extended the maturity of its existing debt facilities to 2029, bolstering its liquidity position and financial flexibility to support the Company’s key strategic initiatives. The transaction was open to all holders of its existing first lien and second lien term loans.

“We greatly appreciate the broad-based support from investors across our capital structure to reach this positive outcome, demonstrating their continued confidence in our business,” said Dennis Kozak, CEO of Ivanti. “With additional capital and extended debt maturities, we believe that we are well positioned to progress our ongoing transformation, provide customers with improved capabilities and security, and deliver long-term success.”

Over the past year, Ivanti has made substantial advancements to its products and processes, and the Company’s strengthened financial foundation is expected to enhance its ability to invest across its solutions to empower customers’ business goals and provide seamless, flexible solutions that are built to address the evolving threat landscape. Ivanti is backed by Clearlake Capital Group, L.P., Charlesbank Capital Partners, LLC, and TA Associates Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Evercore Group LLC are serving as legal and financial advisors to Ivanti.

About Ivanti Ivanti is an enterprise software company that provides a comprehensive IT and security cloudbased platform. Ivanti provides software solutions that scale with our customers’ needs to help enable IT and Security to improve operational efficiency while reducing costs and proactively reducing security risk. The Ivanti Neurons platform is cloud-native and is designed as a foundation of unified and reusable services and tools for consistent visibility, scalability and secure solution delivery. Over 34,000 customers, including 85 of the Fortune 100, have chosen Ivanti to meet challenges head-on with its end-to-end solutions. At Ivanti, we strive to create an environment where all perspectives are heard, respected and valued and we are committed to a more sustainable future for our customers, partners, employees and the planet. For more information, visit www.ivanti.com and follow @GoIvanti.

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Carlyle and SK Capital Partners Announce Extension of bluebird bio Tender Offer to May 12, 2025

Carlyle

WASHINGTON, DC and NEW YORK, NY—May 2, 2025—Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) (“Carlyle”), SK Capital Partners, LP (“SK Capital”) and Beacon Parent Holdings, L.P. (“Parent”) today announced that Beacon Merger Sub, Inc. (“Merger Sub”) has extended the expiration date of its offer (the “Offer”) to acquire all of the outstanding common stock of bluebird bio, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLUE) (“bluebird”), to expire at one minute after 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on May 12, 2025.  The Offer was previously scheduled to expire one minute after 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on May 2, 2025. The tender offer was extended to allow additional time for the satisfaction of the remaining conditions to the tender offer, including receipt of applicable regulatory approvals.

Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, the depositary for the Offer, has advised Merger Sub that as of the close of business on May 1, 2025, approximately 936,791 shares of bluebird common stock have been validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Offer. Holders that have previously tendered their shares do not need to re-tender their shares or take any other action in response to this extension.

The Offer is being made pursuant to the terms and conditions described in the Offer to Purchase, dated March 7, 2025 (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Offer to Purchase”), the related letter of transmittal and certain other offer documents, copies of which are attached to the tender offer statement on Schedule TO filed by Parent and Merger Sub with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 7, 2025, as amended.

The Offer is conditioned upon the fulfilment of certain conditions described in “Section 15—Conditions to the Offer” of the Offer to Purchase, including, but not limited to, the tender of a majority of the outstanding shares of bluebird, receipt of applicable regulatory approvals, and other customary closing conditions.

About bluebird bio, Inc.

Founded in 2010, bluebird has been setting the standard for gene therapy for more than a decade—first as a scientific pioneer and now as a commercial leader. bluebird has an unrivaled track record in bringing the promise of gene therapy out of clinical studies and into the real-world setting, having secured FDA approvals for three therapies in under two years. Today, we are proving and scaling the commercial model for gene therapy and delivering innovative solutions for access to patients, providers, and payers.

With a dedicated focus on severe genetic diseases, bluebird has the largest and deepest ex-vivo gene therapy data set in the field, with industry-leading programs for sickle cell disease, ß-thalassemia, and cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy. We custom design each of our therapies to address the underlying cause of disease and have developed in-depth and effective analytical methods to understand the safety of our lentiviral vector technologies and drive the field of gene therapy forward.

bluebird continues to forge new paths as a standalone commercial gene therapy company, combining our real-world experience with a deep commitment to patient communities and a people-centric culture that attracts and grows a diverse flock of dedicated birds.

About Carlyle

Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) is a global investment firm with deep industry expertise that deploys private capital across its business and conducts its operations through three business segments: Global Private Equity, Global Credit and Global Investment Solutions. With $441 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2024, 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 2,300 people in 29 offices across four continents. Further information is available at www.carlyle.com. Follow Carlyle on X @OneCarlyle and LinkedIn at The Carlyle Group.

About SK Capital 

SK Capital is a transformational private investment firm with a disciplined focus on the life sciences, specialty materials, and ingredients sectors. The firm seeks to build resilient, sustainable, and growing businesses that create substantial long-term value. SK Capital aims to utilize its industry, operating, and investment experience to identify opportunities to transform businesses into higher performing organizations with improved strategic positioning, growth, and profitability, as well as lower operating risk. SK Capital’s portfolio of businesses generates revenues of approximately $12 billion annually, employs more than 25,000 people globally, and operates more than 200 plants in over 30 countries. The firm currently has approximately $9 billion in assets under management. For more information, please visit www.skcapitalpartners.com. 

 

Additional Information and Where to Find It

This communication is not an offer to buy nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities of bluebird. The solicitation and the offer to buy shares of bluebird’s common stock is only being made pursuant to the Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO, including an offer to purchase, a letter of transmittal and other related materials, that Parent and Merger Sub filed with the SEC. In addition, bluebird filed with the SEC a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 with respect to the tender offer. Investors may obtain a free copy of these materials and other documents filed by Parent, Merger Sub and bluebird with the SEC at the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Investors may also obtain, at no charge, any such documents filed with or furnished to the SEC by (i) bluebird under the “Investors & Media” section of bluebird’s website at www.bluebirdbio.com or (ii) by Parent and Merger Sub by calling Innisfree M&A Incorporated, the information agent for the Offer, toll-free at (877) 825-8793 for stockholders or by calling collect at (212) 750-5833 for banks or brokers.

INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE ADVISED TO READ THESE DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING THE SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT ON SCHEDULE 14D-9 OF BLUEBIRD AND ANY AMENDMENTS THERETO, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE TENDER OFFER AND THE MERGER THAT ARE FILED WITH THE SEC, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY PRIOR TO MAKING ANY DECISIONS WITH RESPECT TO WHETHER TO TENDER THEIR SHARES INTO THE TENDER OFFER BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE TENDER OFFER.

Investors & Media Contacts 

Bluebird 

Investors: 

Courtney O’Leary

978-621-7347

coleary@bluebirdbio.com

Media: 

Jess Rowlands

857-299-6103

jess.rowlands@bluebirdbio.com

 

Carlyle 

Media: 

Brittany Berliner

+1 (212) 813-4839

brittany.berliner@carlyle.com

SK Capital 

Ben Dillon

+1(646)-278-1353  

bdillon@skcapitalpartners.com

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Madison Dearborn Partners to Acquire Significant Ownership Position in NextGen Healthcare

Thomabravo

Partners with Company Management and Thoma Bravo to Support NextGen Healthcare’s Growth

CHICAGO & SAN FRANCISCO & REMOTE-FIRST COMPANY—Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC (“MDP”), a leading private equity investment firm based in Chicago, today announced that it has signed an agreement with Thoma Bravo, a leading software investment firm, to acquire a significant ownership position in NextGen Healthcare, Inc. (“NextGen Healthcare” or the “Company”), a leading provider of innovative healthcare technology and data solutions. Thoma Bravo will retain a significant ownership position in NextGen Healthcare. MDP will partner with Thoma Bravo and NextGen Healthcare’s management team to support NextGen Healthcare’s growth.

Founded in 1974, NextGen Healthcare provides Electronic Health Record and Practice Management software and services that allow healthcare practices to focus on delivering better healthcare outcomes for patients and increase clinical quality and productivity. Since acquiring NextGen Healthcare in a take-private transaction in 2023, Thoma Bravo has helped the Company modernize and enhance its capabilities, solutions, and operating structure to enhance the client experience. Additionally, the Company has achieved meaningful organic growth, improved profit margins, and hired new executive leaders devoted to further enhancing its technology and services to provide a superior user experience. As investment partners, Thoma Bravo and MDP will support NextGen Healthcare’s leadership team in continuing to execute the Company’s growth strategy to deliver best-in-class solutions to more healthcare clients.

“We are delighted to partner with MDP and Thoma Bravo to accelerate our investment in developing and delivering transformational solutions to the ambulatory healthcare marketplace,” said David Sides, Chief Executive Officer of NextGen Healthcare. “Our employees, clients, and partners are unified behind our vision of achieving Better Healthcare Outcomes for All. By combining our deep healthcare domain expertise with MDP’s extensive healthcare experience and Thoma Bravo’s renowned software operational expertise, we believe we can deliver on that vision faster.”

Srinivas (Sri) Velamoor, President and Chief Operating Officer of NextGen Healthcare, added, “We are excited to partner with MDP and Thoma Bravo to accelerate the next phase of our growth, and help our clients achieve market leading performance and efficiency fueled by new AI-driven capabilities. We are leveraging AI and automation to elevate every step of the provider and patient journey.”

“NextGen Healthcare has a proven track record of delivering innovative software solutions that enable healthcare practices across the country to improve the patient experience,” said Jason Shideler, Partner and Co-Head of Healthcare at MDP. “We are excited to partner with NextGen Healthcare’s management team and Thoma Bravo to help the Company expand its software offering and assist even more providers in operating efficiently and delivering seamless care to their patients.”

“It’s been a joy working alongside David, Sri and the NextGen management team helping to accelerate our long-term mission of Better Healthcare Outcomes for All,” said A.J. Rohde, a Senior Partner at Thoma Bravo. “We see so much innovation and opportunity ahead, and working with the MDP team again on these opportunities is an exciting endeavor.”

“We are incredibly proud of what we have accomplished in partnership with David, Sri and the entire NextGen Healthcare team since our initial investment in 2023,” added Peter Hernandez, a Senior Vice President at Thoma Bravo. “Together, we have significantly accelerated the Company’s business strategy and product roadmap to help deliver exceptional outcomes for providers and patients. We look forward to continuing to apply our operational and software capabilities to drive continued growth.

The deal, which is subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025.

Advisors
Goodwin Procter LLP is serving as legal counsel to NextGen Healthcare and Thoma Bravo. Kirkland & Ellis, LLP is serving as legal counsel to MDP.

About NextGen Healthcare, Inc.
NextGen Healthcare, Inc. is a leading provider of innovative healthcare technology and data solutions. We are reimagining ambulatory healthcare with award-winning EHR, practice management and surround solutions that enable providers to deliver whole-person health and value-based care. Our highly integrated, intelligent, and interoperable solutions increase clinical quality and productivity, enrich the patient experience and drive superior financial performance. We are on a relentless quest to achieve better healthcare outcomes for all. Learn more at nextgen.com, and follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

About Madison Dearborn Partners
Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC (“MDP”) is a leading private equity investment firm based in Chicago. Since MDP’s formation in 1992, the firm has raised aggregate capital of more than $31 billion and has completed over 160 platform investments. MDP invests across four dedicated industry verticals, including healthcare, basic industries, financial services, and technology & government. Drawing on deep industry and operational expertise, MDP works closely with management teams to drive value creation and operational improvement across its portfolio. For more information, please visit www.mdcp.com

About Thoma Bravo
Thoma Bravo is one of the largest software-focused investors in the world, with over US$179 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2024. Through its private equity, growth equity and credit strategies, the firm invests in growth-oriented, innovative companies operating in the software and technology sectors. Leveraging Thoma Bravo’s deep sector knowledge and strategic and operational expertise, the firm collaborates with its portfolio companies to implement operating best practices and drive growth initiatives. Over the past 20+ years, the firm has acquired or invested in approximately 520 companies representing approximately US$275 billion in enterprise value (including control and non-control investments). The firm has offices in Chicago, Dallas, London, Miami, New York and San Francisco. For more information, visit Thoma Bravo’s website at thomabravo.com.

Read the release on Business Wire here.

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Dream Games announces strategic investment by CVC to support next chapter of growth and continued global leadership in mobile games

CVC Capital Partners

Dream Games, the developer and publisher of globally renowned mobile games Royal Match and Royal Kingdom, today announced a strategic investment from CVC, a leading global alternative asset management firm, as its sole equity partner.

The transaction will provide liquidity to Dream Games’ initial venture capital partners who will exit after over five years, and initiates a strategic partnership with CVC as its new equity partner to help further accelerate the Company’s continued global leadership in mobile games. Funds managed by Blackstone, and other investors will provide debt financing as part of the transaction.

Founded in 2019 by mobile game industry veterans Soner Aydemir, Ikbal Namli, Hakan Saglam, Eren Sengul and Serdar Yilmaz, Dream Games is best known for its mobile game Royal Match, the global #1 puzzle game by revenue.

In November 2024, Dream Games launched its highly anticipated second mobile game, Royal Kingdom, the next chapter of the Royal mobile games universe. Both games have achieved global success, with Dream Games recognised as a leader in delivering high-quality, innovative and engaging mobile gaming experiences to customers across the world.

With the support of its new investors, Dream Games plans to continue its expansion of the Royal universe and develop innovative new titles, while continuing to captivate players around the world with its high-quality mobile game experiences.

Soner Aydemir, Co-Founder and CEO of Dream Games, said: “We are incredibly proud of what our team has built so far, and we’re excited to enter this next phase of growth with the support of our new investors. Their experience investing in category-leading companies, and track-record of supporting the long-term vision of founding teams, make them ideal partners as we continue to enhance our global leadership.”

Quotes

We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with this world class management team, and help them realise their ambitious vision in the Royal Universe.

Nick ClarryManaging Partner and Head of CVC’s Sports, Media and Entertainment team

Nick Clarry, Managing Partner and Head of CVC’s Sports, Media and Entertainment team, commented: “Dream Games has created some of the world’s most beloved and commercially successful IP – including King Robert, King Richard & The Dark King. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with this world class management team, and help them realise their ambitious vision in the Royal Universe.”

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in Q3 2025.

Goldman Sachs International acted as financial advisor and debt structuring agent, and White & Case acted as legal counsel to Dream Games. PJT Partners acted as financial advisor and Latham & Watkins acted as legal counsel to CVC.

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Blackstone Launches BMACX – Blackstone Private Multi-Asset Credit and Income Fund

Blackstone

NEW YORK – May 1, 2025 – Blackstone (NYSE: BX) today announced the launch of Blackstone Private Multi-Asset Credit and Income Fund (BMACX), the firm’s first private multi-asset credit interval fund (the “Fund”). Investors can now access BMACX through select registered investment advisers.

BMACX aims to provide individual investors with a one-stop, private multi-asset credit solution designed to access strategies across Blackstone’s leading $465 billion credit platform. The Fund offers ticker execution with daily subscriptions, quarterly liquidity, and low investment minimums with capital invested immediately.

“We believe BMACX can be a powerful core portfolio building block to tap the expanding credit markets,” said Heather von Zuben, Chief Executive Officer of BMACX. “It brings the full breadth of Blackstone’s credit platform to individuals in what we see as an investor friendly structure.”

“We will aim to deliver high quality, diversified income with lower volatility than traditional fixed income products by investing across a diverse range of compelling credit assets,” said Dan Oneglia, Chief Investment Officer of BMACX. “We believe this multi-strategy approach positions investors to take advantage of attractive relative value, particularly in dynamic market environments.”

BMACX will invest across a diverse range of credit assets, including private corporate credit, asset based and real estate credit, structured credit, and liquid credit, seeking to deliver attractive and stable income through a monthly distribution while managing risk.

BMACX builds on Blackstone’s leadership position delivering private credit solutions to individual investors, with dedicated vehicles focused on direct lending available since 2018.

Blackstone announced that BMACX was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in March. More information is available at www.bmacx.com.

About Blackstone Credit & Insurance
Blackstone Credit & Insurance (“BXCI”) is one of the world’s leading credit investors. Our investments span the credit markets, including private investment grade, asset based lending, public investment grade and high yield, sustainable resources, infrastructure debt, collateralized loan obligations, direct lending and opportunistic credit. We seek to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for institutional and individual investors by offering companies capital needed to strengthen and grow their businesses. BXCI is also a leading provider of investment management services for insurers, helping those companies better deliver for policyholders through our world-class capabilities in investment grade private credit.

About Blackstone Private Wealth   
Blackstone Private Wealth was established to answer the growing demand for Blackstone products from high-net worth investors. Partnering with many of the world’s largest private banks and wealth management firms as well as family offices, Blackstone’s Private Wealth team packages and delivers the full breadth of Blackstone’s alternative product capability to these firms and their clients and provides ongoing product and advisor support, as well as education and training around alternatives.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information contained in this communication constitutes “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “outlook,” “indicator,” “believes,” “expects,” “potential,“ “continues,” “may,” “can,” “will,“ “could,” “should,” “seeks,” “approximately,” “predicts,“ “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates”, “confident,” “conviction,“ “identified” or the negative versions of these words or other comparable words thereof.

These may include financial estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements about plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations, statements regarding future performance, statements regarding economic and market trends and statements regarding identified but not yet closed investments. Such forward-looking statements are inherently subject to various risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in such statements. BMACX believes these factors also include but are not limited to those described under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in its prospectus, and any such updated factors included in its periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this document (or BMACX’s prospectus and other filings). Except as otherwise required by federal securities laws, BMACX undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

This press release must be read in conjunction with the BMACX prospectus in order to fully understand all the implications and risks of an investment in BMACX. This press release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy securities. An offering is made only by the prospectus, which should be read carefully before investing and is available at www.bmacx.com.  Before investing you should carefully consider BMACX’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses.  This and other information is in BMACX’s prospectus.

An investment in the Fund involves a high degree of risk. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives.  An investment in the Fund is suitable only for investors who can bear the risks associated with limited liquidity.  Shares of the Fund are not listed on any securities exchange and the Fund does not expect any secondary market will develop for the shares. The Fund intends to utilize leverage and may utilize leverage to the maximum extent permitted by law for investment and other general corporate purposes, which will magnify the potential for loss on amounts invested in the Fund. Please see the prospectus for details of these and other risks.

The Fund is distributed by Blackstone Securities Partners L.P. BMACX is a newly formed investment company with no operating or performance history that shareholders can use to evaluate the Fund.

Contact
Thomas Clements
Thomas.Clements@blackstone.com
(646) 482-6088

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