Apposite Capital, the healthcare specialist private equity investor, today announces that it has acquired 1MED, a fast-growing Contract Research Organisation (“CRO”) for clinical and regulatory support, specialising in the medical device sector. Apposite Capital will work with the 1MED management team to continue to strengthen and widen the company’s service offering and further expand its geographic coverage.
1MED is a specialist CRO that supports the commercialisation of new medical technologies and products by providing regulatory strategy, clinical trial management and quality assurance services across a broad range of therapeutic areas and product types. It is recognised as a high quality and reliable outsourced provider to obtain product certification on time and budget with a 100% product approval rate to date. The company was created in 2014 and is headquartered in Agno, Switzerland.
1MED operates in a fast-growing market where over 40% of clinical development is currently outsourced, as medical device and pharmaceutical companies seek to reduce their R&D expenditure and face an increasingly more complex regulatory environment. The new MDR and subsequent IVDR regulatory frameworks which come into effect in 2021 and 2022, increase the need to work with specialist outsourcing firms such as 1MED. The company clients base consists primarily of European medical device and pharma companies.
The investment was led for Apposite Capital by David Porter, Anne-Laure Meynier, Lauren Edison and Christian Schenk. In conjunction with its investment in 1MED, Apposite has introduced Professor John Lyon, a seasoned CRO executive and entrepreneur who will join the Board of Directors as Chair. Additionally, Apposite has introduced Peter Ellingworth, a leading medtech regulatory expert and CEO of the UK Healthtech industry association, ABHI, who will join the Board as a Non-Executive Director. David Porter and Anne-Laure Meynier will also join the Board.
David Porter, Founding Partner of Apposite Capital commented: “We are very excited by the growth prospects of 1MED. The company is well-placed to be the partner of choice for an ever-evolving industry with increasingly complex clinical and regulatory requirements. We were impressed by the highly skilled and visionary team and look forward to working with them to unlock 1MED’s full potential.”
Enrico Perfler, founder and CEO of 1MED [and who will remain a significant shareholder], said: “Today opens a new chapter in 1MED’s growth plans. We are very excited by the backing of Apposite Capital. Apposite’s healthcare expertise and international network will be instrumental as we grow to the next phase and seek to expand our service offering and broaden our customer base.”
Advisers to 1MED: Credit Suisse AG (financial advisor to shareholders of 1MED), Fidinam & Partners (accounting and tax), Lexsential (legal), Druces (legal)
Advisers to Apposite Capital: EY (accounting, tax and legal), PMSI (commercial), FRP (debt advisory), Trowers & Hamlins (legal), Baker McKenzie (legal), Aon (W&I, Insurance)
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About Apposite Capital
Apposite Capital is an independent investment firm focused exclusively on healthcare. It focuses on companies operating in health and social care, medtech & medical products, pharmaceuticals & life science and digital health. The firm operates at the small end of the private equity market, providing both capital and expertise to those businesses offering ‘disruptive’ models that aim to improve or reduce the cost of care provision and which have thepotential to become market leaders. Apposite has an in-depth sector knowledge covering key aspects of the healthcare industry internationally coupled with local insights, an exceptional network and an entrepreneurial mindset which it applies to drive the growth of itsportfolio companies.
Apposite was established in 2006 and is headquartered in London, UK.
About 1MED
1MED is a Contract Research Organization providing high-quality regulatory and clinical services to pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies. 1MED regulatory, quality and clinical services encompass all phases of the medical device development lifecycle, starting from device concept and preclinical phases, through clinical phases (first-in-human studies, pivotal studies) to post-market activities for certification maintenance (post-market surveillance and vigilance, post-market clinical follow-up, real-world data collection, etc.). 1MED works with clients that are either SMEs or big pharmaceutical companies to support them in facing the complexity associated with the development of innovative medical devices in compliance with MDR by providing support from a strategic, regulatory, quality and clinical point of view, with a cross-functional approach which led to win the certification and certification maintenance of more than 300 different medical devices.
1MED was established in 2014 and is headquartered in Agno, Switzerland.