Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (‘Freshfields’) has advised the Hamburg-based biotechnology company Evotec AG (‘Evotec’) on the acquisition of Aptuit Group (‘Aptuit’) from private equity investor Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe for $300m. The sale will be settled on the basis of existing liquidity and an additional credit financing of €140m.
 
Aptuit provides integrated outsourcing solutions in drug discovery and development and employs approximately 750 people at three research, development and production sites in Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
 
The multijurisdictional Freshfields team, spanning offices in Germany, Italy, the US and the UK, was led by Hamburg-based partner Christoph Seibt and principal associate Moritz Koch. They were supported by partners Timothy Wilkins, Michael Josenhans, Jochen Dieselhorst, Michael Ramb and Katrin Gaßner, and associates Drew Elphick and Alessio Bottan. In-house, Evotec was advised by Christian Dargel.
 
Freshfields has previously advised Evotec on its acquisition of a research facility from Sanofi-Aventis Recherche et Développement and on its capital raisings by both Novo A/S and Biotechnology Value Fund Partners.