Global mergers and acquisitions for 90 billion dollars
In the context of M&A operations, the Pharma and Life Science global sector
By Milena Bernardi
According to the Bain & Company’s 12th annual Global Healthcare Private Equity and M&A Report, the total value of transactions stood at around 90 billion dollars, with biopharmaceutics and artificial intelligence the top sectors of interest.
Among the 10 major operations recorded last year, 6, in fact, related to the biopharmaceutical sector, instruments for life sciences and correlated services. Within these segments, in the last five years, 600 deals were carried out at global level and, in 2023, a further acceleration towards these assets is expected.
2022 was a year of historical importance also for Artificial Intelligence, which exploded particularly for the imaging segment and for IT in healthcare. While healthcare has traditionally spent little on technology, in 2022 the volume of acquisitions of healthcare IT (HCIT) was the second highest ever recorded. The outlook is positive also for Italian pharmaceutical companies, as the various deals recorded in recent months shows (among the most recent, the acquisition of US Pharma Lab by Biofarma); they need, however, to remain focused on innovation and new technologies, the securing of the supply chain and the continuous improvement of efficiency, strategic positioning (and not only defensive) in ESG terms, the full exploitation of possibilities linked to the digital world and evolution towards models increasingly focused on the doctor and the patient.
Biofarma acquires US Pharma Lab
Controlled by Ardian together with the Scarpa family, Biofarma Group (Udine) has announced the closure of a final agreement for the acquisition of 100% of US Pharma Lab, owned by the Luhadia family: with the registered office in New Jersey, US Pharma Lab is a rapidly growing company, specialized in the development of innovative nutraceutical products, including probiotics, vitamins, minerals, supplements and premium food ingredients, with activities in the United States and in China.
The partnership will lead to the creation of the biggest contract manufacturer in the nutraceutical sector at global level, with sites in the United States, Europe (Italy and France) and in China, a solid capacity for innovation on both sides of the Atlantic, extensive know-how and a complementary customer-base, mainly directed towards the pharmaceutical industry, consumer-packaged goods (CPG)and native digital brands.
Biofarma Group and US Pharma Lab together will, therefore, be able to offer a wide range of cutting-edge technologies, accelerating expansion towards new geographic markets. Having closed the acquisition, the CEO of US Pharma Lab, Amol Luhadia, and the managerial team will maintain their current roles, continuing to guide the company in the States.
