International law firm Simmons & Simmons has advised Venture Life Group plc on its merger with an Italian development and manufacturing company Biokosmes, and on its AIM IPO.

Venture Life is an international consumer healthcare company based in the UK and focused on developing products for the ageing population. The Group’s products are currently sold or partnered in over 40 countries. Biokosmes was founded in Italy in 1983, develops and manufactures topical products, such as cosmetics, dermo-cosmetics and medical devices.

The merger with Biokosmes brings together Venture Life's expertise in new product development, brand management and commercialisation, with Biokosmes' expertise in new product development and manufacturing.

£5.4m gross has been raised through a placing of new Ordinary Shares, giving the Venture Life Group a market capitalisation of approximately £26.4m at the placing price. Admission of the Ordinary Shares to trading on AIM took place on 28 March 2014.

The Simmons & Simmons team was led by corporate partner and life sciences specialist Charles Mayo, assisted by associates Matthew Rogers, Lesley Olsen and Victoria Hewitt, Michael Gavey and Lydia Torne advised on IP/regulatory aspects, with Ian Fraser, Richard Pilsworth and Michele Balfe advising on the employee benefit and employment aspects of the transaction. Italian law advice on the acquisition and IPO was led by Carlotta Robbiano and Giorgio Mariani, assisted by Nicolangelo Del Rosario.

Commenting on the transaction, Charles Mayo said: ‘‘This is a great British success story: Venture Life has gone from start up to IPO in around three and half years. It says to entrepreneurs that with the right team, business model and plan, advice and determination, much can be achieved. A 'merger IPO' combining both a M&A transaction with an IPO has enabled Venture Life to have both in-house manufacturing capability with a public quotation for the shares in the enlarged Venture Life Group.’’

Jerry Randall, CEO, Venture Life Group plc said: "Simmons & Simmons has been our legal partner of choice not only since Venture Life was founded in 2010, but also before that in my previous businesses. Charles Mayo and the Simmons & Simmons team provide that perfect balance of expertise and commercial approach to their clients, and really become part of our team. Throughout this particularly complex transaction, being a listing and cross border merger at the same time, their depth of expertise and experience, as well as their tireless work ethic enabled our vision to become reality. We genuinely could not have done this without the team at Simmons & Simmons - thank you."

This transaction is one of several on which Simmons & Simmons has advised recently within the life sciences sector. This includes:

• acting for the syndicate of underwriting banks on Circassia’s IPO on the London Main Market in March 2014, London’s largest biotech flotation for decades
• NetScientific plc on its admission to AIM and £30 million placing
• Union Medtech plc on its agreement to acquire Rex Bionics Ltd, a robotic exoskeleton business
• advising Russian life sciences R-Pharm group on the acquisition of a Pfizer production plant in Germany.