Jointly, the firms look forward to fulfill unmet medical needs.
Blackstone Group LP, headquartered in the USA, has announced to acquire Clarus, a leading global life sciences investment firm, to serve as a platform for future acquisitions and partnerships in an area it lacks access to capital. Clarus has offices in the life sciences hubs of Boston and San Francisco and focuses on funding growth-stage investments, usually in partnership with major biopharmaceutical companies through R&D collaborations.
The move to come up with revolutionary products
The deal launches Blackstone Life Sciences, an industry-leading private investment platform intending to invest across the life cycle of companies and products within the key life sciences sectors. Blackstone Life Sciences will build on Clarus’ significant domain expertise and record of success, and Blackstone’s experience, operating platform, and global scale, to jointly advance breakthrough products to address unmet medical needs.
Blackstone looks ahead for innovations
Blackstone is looking ahead to collaborate with companies across the industry to develop and commercialize important medicines and technologies that will make a measurable difference in people’s lives.
Jon Gray, President, and COO, Blackstone, stated, “This is a unique moment where rapid advancements in science and technology are creating unprecedented innovation and unparalleled impact on human health. Private capital can play an important role in accelerating the lengthy clinical development process to help bring vital, but underfunded, drugs to market. Building on the foundation of the world-class Clarus team, Blackstone Life Sciences is uniquely suited to provide much-needed capital and expertise to this sector.”
Clarus’ deep industry knowledge to merge with Blackstone’s strong platform
Nick Galakatos, who co-founded Clarus in 2005, is Managing Director of Clarus and will become Head of Blackstone Life Sciences. Clarus’ team has experienced people with both clinical and investing expertizes, including prior sector experience with 10 of the world’s leading life sciences companies.
Galakatos, Clarus, stated, “We are excited to join Blackstone and anchor a dedicated life sciences investing business. The firm’s unmatched global scale, strong operating platform and track record in growing businesses, together with Clarus’ deep industry expertise, make this new platform an ideal partner to the industry that will bring significant benefits to investors seeking exposure to life sciences. We look forward to building on Clarus’ success with the added power of Blackstone.”
Blackstone owes extensive experience and capabilities in the healthcare sector. It has invested over $19 billion in healthcare and healthcare-related transactions across more than 40 deals. Blackstone also has some other investments across the firm and is the second largest owner of life sciences office space in the world. Blackstone’s deal with Clarus is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2018.
