DPx Holdings, a portfolio company of JLL Partners and Royal DSM, has reached an agreement to acquire Gallus BioPharmaceuticals, a contract manufacturing company specializing in biologics and a portfolio company of Ridgemont Equity Partners.
Gallus Biopharmaceuticals is a biologics contract manufacturing organization acquired by Ridgemont Equity Partners in 2011. Gallus operates an FDA-approved, commercially-certified facility formerly owned by Centocor Biologics. The Gallus facility has capabilities for mammalian cell culture and protein purification in both perfusion and fed batch mode. Gallus is headquartered in St. Louis (www.gallusbiopharma.com).
DPx Holdings is the parent company of the Patheon, DSM Fine Chemicals and Banner Life Sciences businesses. The company is a provider of contract development and commercial manufacturing (CDMO) services, pharmaceutical products and products for other industries. The company has more than 20 locations across North America, Europe, Latin America and Australia with more than 8,000 employees. The acquisition of Gallus makes the Patheon division of DPx a leading provider of process development as well as clinical and commercial scale manufacturing of mammalian cell culture derived products. DPx Holdings is headquartered in Durham, NC (www.patheon.com).
“We are pleased to expand our biologics business with the acquisition of Gallus BioPharmaceuticals,” said Jim Mullen, CEO of DPx Holdings. “This transaction is in line with our strategy to support the needs of our customers with biologics projects by providing flexibility, leading technology solutions, commercial operations and an expanded footprint with two US sites.”
JLL Partners invests in companies across a range of manufacturing and service industries. Sectors of specific interest include healthcare services, medical products, food and consumer products, chemicals, broadcasting, transportation, automotive, industrial manufacturing, and distribution. JLL Partners is based in New York (www.jllpartners.com).
Ridgemont Equity Partners (formerly Banc of America Capital Investors) focuses on middle market buyout and growth equity investments of $25 million to $100 million. The firm invests in the following sectors: basic industries and services; energy; healthcare; and telecommunications/media/technology. Ridgemont Equity Partners is headquartered in Charlotte, NC (www.ridgemontep.com).
© 2014 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 8-28-14
