MinterEllison has advised the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute on the sale of 100% of clinical research company Nucleus Network Limited to private equity firm Crescent Capital Partners.

Based in Melbourne, the Nucleus Network is Australia’s leading early phase clinical research facility. It was established in 2003 and employs more than 100 employees, conducting trials for a range of global biotechnology and pharmaceutical clients.

The sale will boost the Victorian and Australian biotechnology and medical research sectors.

International legal practice Osborne Clarke has advised growth investor Synova Capital on the management buy-out of Mintec Global, a world leading provider of global pricing data and intelligence for non-traded food ingredients.

Berlin, January 18, 2018 – Greenberg Traurig Germany advised Quest Investment Partners (Quest) on the acquisition of the “Lenzhaus” office property in Berlin. It was sold by Barings Real Estate Advisers, who had acquired the property for an individual fund of a German pension fund in 2015. The parties agreed to keep the purchase price confidential.

Slaughter and May advised Premier Oil plc on its successful invitation to convertible bondholders to accelerate the exchange of their outstanding convertible bonds into ordinary shares of the company.  87.5% (US$205.78 million) of the US$235.2 million convertible bonds outstanding were accepted for early conversion under the invitation, which was launched on 11 January and completed on 16 January 2018.  The benefits to the company and its shareholders include reduction of the company’s indebtedness by US$ 205.78 million, increased stability in the company’s capital bas

In January 2018, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd (“BTMU”) issued RMB 1 billion panda bonds (the “Bonds”) through private placement in China. The Bonds have a coupon rate of 5.3 per cent, with a three-year tenor.

Pfäffikon (Switzerland)/Frankfurt, Jan. 18, 2018 – A Bryan Cave M&A team, led by Frankfurt Office Managing Partner Tobias Fenck, recently advised Altano Group, a corporation of the Swiss holding company Ufenau Capital Partners, on the acquisition of Tierärztliche Klinik für Pferde Großwallstadt. As one of the leading horse clinic operators, Altano Group will strengthen its presence in the Rhine-Main area through this acquisition. This is one of three acquisitions by Altano in the last six months.

Baker McKenzie has advised Ledger, one of the world leaders in Blockchain and in bitcoin and cryptocurrency security, as part of its fundraising operation involving several French and international funds.

Loyens & Loeff acted as Dutch corporate counsel to the underwriters with respect to the IPO of InflaRx N.V. on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, under the ticker symbol IFRX.

Contacts
Gerco van Eck
Martijn Schoonewille

Allen & Overy has announced the appointment of Nils Koffka as partner in Hamburg.  Nils, who joins from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, brings a wealth of experience advising private equity funds, domestic and international investors and family offices in domestic and cross-border acquisitions, divestitures and leveraged buy-outs.  A recent example of his work on large-cap transactions includes advising his long-standing client BC Partners in connection with the acquisition of CeramTec (EUR2.6bn) from Cinven.

DLA Piper announced today that John Beahn has joined the firm's Telecom practice as a partner in the Washington, DC, office. The Telecom practice is part of DLA Piper's global Intellectual Property and Technology practice.