PARIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Andera Partners, a leading European private equity player, through its practice Andera Life Sciences, focused on investments in companies developing breakthrough therapeutics and medical technologies, announced today that Pfizer Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Andera Life Sciences’ portfolio company ReViral Ltd. Under the agreement, ReViral, a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing novel antiviral therapeutics, with an initial focus on treating respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), will be acquired for a total consideration of up to $525 million, including upfront and development milestones. The proposed transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals.
Andera co-led the Series A of $21 million in 2015 and re-invested in the subsequent financing rounds alongside a group of international blue chip investors.
RSV is a respiratory pathogen, which can lead to severe and life-threatening lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in high-risk populations, including young infants, immunocompromised individuals, and older adults. It is estimated to cause infections in approximately 64 million people, resulting in about 160,000 deaths, globally each year.
ReViral has a portfolio of promising therapeutic candidates, including sisunatovir, an orally administered inhibitor designed to block fusion of the RSV virus to the host cell. Sisunatovir is currently in phase 2 clinical development in infants. A second program is focused on the inhibition of RSV replication targeting the viral N protein. The lead candidate in this program is currently in phase 1 clinical development.
Raphaël Wisniewski, Partner at Andera Life Sciences and member of the board of ReViral commented: “We at Andera Partners are delighted to have backed such a talented team of drug developers in the field of RSV for which treatment options are severely limited. We are extremely proud that the work accomplished to date has been recognized by a world-class leader such as Pfizer, and the development of these important therapeutic products will continue.”
“We are grateful to Andera to have funded and supported us since the early days of the company, alongside a group of leading international investors. Andera has been an exceptional partner to work with on our transformation from an early-stage research company to a clinical-stage organization,” said Alex C. Sapir, CEO, ReViral.
This transaction is the latest of recent M&A transactions in Andera Life Sciences portfolio including the sale of Sanifit to Vifor, the sale of Corvidia to Novo Nordisk, the sale of Arvelle to Angelini. It adds to three recent initial public offerings (Axonics, LogicBio and Nyxoah).
About Andera Partners
Created over 20 years ago, Andera Partners is a major player in private company investments in France and internationally. Its teams manage over €3.2 billion in investments in life sciences (Andera Life Sciences), growth and buyout capital (Andera MidCap, Andera Expansion, Andera Croissance, Andera Co-Invest), sponsorless transactions (Andera Acto) and ecological transition (Andera Infra).
Based in Paris, with offices in Antwerp and Munich, Andera Partners is wholly owned by its teams, which count nearly 90 professionals, of which 56 investment professionals. It is structured as a partnership and managed by a board of 10 partners. Responsible and committed, the management company regularly forms partnerships with non-profit sector entities and takes concrete action in the fight against global warming. Andera Partners has been certified carbon neutral since 2018.
Andera’s 15-person life sciences team brings together extensive experience in the life sciences industry, private equity and venture capital. Active since 2000, the team has raised over €1.1 billion through its BioDiscovery family of funds and is currently investing from its new BioDiscovery 6 fund. Since inception, the BioDiscovery funds have invested in more than 75 European and U.S. biotech and medtech companies.
Contacts
Media Contacts:
Nicolas DELSERT, Andera Partners: +33 6 22 67 71 17 / n.delsert@anderapartners.com
Marie-Charlotte POTET, Bien Commun Advisory: +33 6 47 97 39 46 / mc.potet@bcadvisory.fr
Clément BENETREAU, Bien Commun Advisory: +33 6 76 14 02 02 / c.benetreau@bcadvisory.fr
Raimund GABRIEL, MC Services: +49 89 210 228 30 / raimund.gabriel@mc-services.eu
Dr. Johanna KOBLER, MC Services: +49 89 210 228 46 / johanna.kobler@mc-services.eu
