Aesica Pharmaceuticals manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), which are exported to major drug producers around the world.
Deal Information
LDC completed the MBO in September 2004 and exited to Silverfleet Capital in Sept 2011.
During LDC's investment period employee numbers have risen to 1300 and turnover moved from €25m in 2005 to c€180m at the time of exit.
In 2010 Aesica completed the purchase of leading research and development company R5, which was the third acquisition since LDC's investment.
This was followed up in 2011 with the acquisition of three European manufacturing sites from leading biopharma company, UCB. This completed in February.
Based in Cramlington in the North East Aesica Pharmaceuticals has a strong product portfolio including the anti-depressants Paroxetine HCl Anhydrate, Dothiepin and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory Flurbiprofen.
The 90-acre Cramlington site was developed by Boots in the early 1980s with BASF acquiring the site in 1995 and a new technical centre opened in 2004, bringing to the site a high specification research and development facility.
The original deal involved support funding for the expansion of existing manufacturing facilities in order to increase production capacities and efficiencies.
Aesica is founded on the strong foundations of over 30 years of pharmaceutical manufacturing expertise with the aim of developing a leading pharmaceutical company in the North East.
Aesica is now one of the UK’s fastest growing companies with an annual turnover in the region of £100million and is currently undergoing a period of significant expansion both in the UK and indeed across America, where it has offices in San Diego and New York.
R5 develops and manufactures new medicines and clinical trial materials and is widely acknowledged as one of the leading providers of pharmaceutical dosage form development across Europe.
Aesica's acquisition of three manufacturing sites in Germany and Italy from UCB demonstrates Aesica’s commitment to continually enhancing its service offering to the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. It is the company’s first acquisition outside the UK and will almost double the capabilities of the business.
Moreover, the arrangement is particularly important to Aesica as it represents the beginning of a strategic partnership with UCB, which comprises a long-term supply agreement between both companies, providing a strong platform for Aesica to develop new business streams for the sites.
In addition to establishing a presence in Europe, the deal represents an extension to the current Aesica offer and technological capability. While Aesica currently offers extensive services in relation to the manufacture of formulated products, its move into Europe will enable it to enhance its injectables and oral liquid dosage capability, as well as introducing hard encapsulation technology to its service portfolio.
Furthermore, the sites at Monheim and Pianezza will bolster Aesica’s current packaging capabilities and the company will operate a line dedicated purely for the Japanese market, which is strategically vital as the company focuses on expansion across Asia.