ARCHIMED acquires cell line development pioneer ExcellGene
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Global private equity healthcare specialist ARCHIMED acquires a majority stake in family-owned ExcellGene and sister company Magellan Biologics & Consulting (both in the biologic therapeutics sector), partnering with founders and management, to create a group covering gene transfer, cell line development and cell culture-based manufacturing for high-performance production of recombinant proteins, and other advanced therapeutics.
Monthey, Switzerland-based ExcellGene, was created in 2001 as a self-funded company by Florian and Maria Wurm, and co-founders. Florian brought his expertise from developing upstream production processes for some of the first FDA approved recombinant proteins while working with Genentech in San Francisco in the 1980s. Maria provided her wide experience of bioreactor scale-up and expression systems from her prior work with complex cell culture-based manufacturing. The husband-and-wife team and other family members founded Magellan Biologics in Portugal in 2014 to develop innovative products for high-throughput cell culture processing, transfection products, and high-performance cell culture media, improving further the manufacturability of promising biologic therapeutics, and vaccines.
ExcellGene and Magellan operate at the core of ARCHIMED’s Life Sciences Tools & Biologic Services investment strategy, within the Bioprocessing priority sub-sector, identified with ARCHIMED’s MedSeg tool.
ExcellGene was identified as a category leader by ARCHIMED in 2017 and active dialogue continued until the context allowed the parties to partner. Since ARCHIMED made first contact with ExcellGene’s founders, revenues at ExcellGene have grown at a 20 percent compounded annual growth rate.
Using its MedValue playbook, ARCHIMED will work with Maria Wurm, who continues as group CEO, and the existing management team, to accelerate the group’s development, applying ExcellGene and Magellan’s technology towards supporting a growing number of biosimilars and complex, difficult-to-manufacture recombinant proteins.
“For nearly 25 years, ExcellGene has been on the side of clients globally, developing high-yielding cell lines and processes for hundreds of different proteins, always aligning deep scientific insights and keeping in mind a pragmatic assessment of commercial operations, a passion both Florian and I shared for many years prior to starting the company. Today, we are delighted to join forces with ARCHIMED, a world-leading investor who shares our vision and supports the scientific excellence for which ExcellGene is known,” says Maria Wurm.
“ARCHIMED will help accelerate growth as the group grows CHO-cell based biosimilars, builds its less well-known HEK-cell line offering, and further develops novel cell media and transfection solutions,” says ARCHIMED partner Loïc Kubitza.
Through this investment, ARCHIMED confirms its ability to deploy a broad sector diversification throughout healthcare industries. The transaction represents the eighth investment of ARCHIMED’s MED III fund following the purchase of Czech Republic-based Diagnostics leader BioVendor Group, announced in March.
About ARCHIMED
With offices in Europe, North America and Asia, ARCHIMED is a leading investment firm focused exclusively on healthcare industries. Its mix of operational, medical, scientific and financial expertise allows ARCHIMED to serve as both a strategic and financial partner to healthcare businesses. Prioritized areas of focus include Animal & Environmental Health, Biopharma Products, Consumer Health, Diagnostics, Healthcare IT, Life Science Tools & Biologic Services, MedTech, and Pharma Services. ARCHIMED helps partners internationalize, acquire, innovate and expand their products and services. ARCHIMED manages €8 billion across its various funds. Since inception, ARCHIMED has been a committed Impact investor, both directly and through its EURÊKA Foundation.
➡️ Source: Press Release | 📸 Dr Florain Wurm and Dr Maria Joaõ Wurm, ©ExcellGene