The Life Sciences industry in Ireland is thriving with the sector employing now employing over 60,000 people. William Fry has been at the heart of a number of high-value and high-profile deals in 2021. Candidates for our ‘Deals of the Year’ in this sector include:
- Advising leading international private equity investor Clayton, Dubilier & Rice on its €3.2 billion recommended all-cash takeover of UDG Healthcare plc, a global leader in healthcare advisory, communications, commercial, clinical and packaging services.
- Advising life-sciences-focused investment group LGC on its acquisition of Technopath Diagnostics, an international leader in the development and manufacture of quality control solutions for clinical laboratories.
- Advising Aceto, a leading global provider of specialty materials for the life sciences and advanced technology end markets, on its acquisitions of A&C Bio Buffer, a manufacturer of custom buffer and chemical blend products used in the manufacturing of biopharmaceutical drug products.
- Advising RA Capital and RTW Investments, two U.S. based biopharmaceutical investment firms, and others on a $125m Series B equity financing of GH Research Limited, a Dublin-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company.
- Advising leading European life-sciences venture investor Life Sciences Partners on leading a significant Series B investment round in Irish medical device company Neurent Medical.
These key transactions reflect how, even amid global uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the level of interest, innovation and investment in the Life Sciences sector continues to grow apace – with Ireland positioned at the forefront of much of this activity.
With 2021 now drawing to a close, and as an internationally recognised advisor to the Life Sciences and Healthcare sectors, William Fry looks forward to the challenges and prospects of 2022. We predict that this industry will continue to grow and prosper in the year ahead.
If you would like further advice or insight, please contact Mark Quealy, Stephen Keogh or Andrew McIntyre, or your usual William Fry contact.
Contributed by Colette Brady, Florence Meagher & Sinéad Cullen
