Blackstone Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire AYUMI Pharmaceutical
16 March 2019 - 1:08AM
Business Wire
Blackstone (NYSE: BX) announced today that private equity funds
managed by Blackstone (“Blackstone”) have entered into a definitive
agreement to acquire AYUMI Pharmaceutical Corporation (“AYUMI” or
“the Company”), a leading specialty pharmaceutical company in Japan
focused on Anti-Rheumatism and Orthopedics, from Unison Capital, an
independent private equity firm based in Japan, and M3, Inc., a
medical information site business.
AYUMI was established in 2015 through the integration of Santen
Pharmaceutical’s (“Santen”) anti-rheumatic drug business and Showa
Yakuhin Kako’s (“Showa”) medical business including its analgesic
portfolio. The Company is one of the leading specialty
pharmaceutical platforms in Japan focused on the rheumatoid
arthritis (“RA”) and orthopedic therapeutic areas.
AYUMI’s flagship analgesic product, Calonal, is the market
leading prescription acetaminophen drug with strong brand awareness
among doctors, pharmacists, and patients in Japan. As a
well-established product in the market, Calonal is a leading
prescription of choice among physicians given its effective and
safe treatment of chronic pain for patients across numerous disease
areas. Furthermore, AYUMI is a market leader in the RA field,
offering a comprehensive portfolio of first-in-line treatments
through synthetic and biosimilar products which are prescribed to
patients across all stages of RA diagnoses. AYUMI has established
itself as a leader in the rapidly growing Japanese biosimilar
market, which is expected to be an important and growing treatment
method that is both highly effective and economical for patients
and the national health insurance system.
Atsuhiko Sakamoto, Senior Managing Director and Head of Japan
Private Equity at Blackstone, commented: “We are delighted to
announce our new partnership with AYUMI. Under the leadership of
its seasoned management team, AYUMI has established a robust
foundation as a leading specialty pharmaceutical company in the
field of rheumatism and orthopedics – with world-class medical and
scientific capabilities. We look forward to working with the
Company to leverage Blackstone’s global footprint and expertise in
this sector to help AYUMI meet the growing need for its RA and
orthopedic products, invest in new, cutting-edge treatments and
products, and continue supporting the Company’s mission of
improving patient health.”
Ouchi Hikaru, Representative Director, President and CEO of
AYUMI, commented: “It is a great honor to announce our new
partnership with Blackstone to further accelerate our growth.
Although we have already established a strong platform of growth in
partnership with Unison Capital, from orthopedic therapeutic areas
to RA areas and further through the new introduction of biosimilar
products, we will need more investment for future growth. We have
great expectations for our new shareholder in order to further
enhance our presence in the Japanese pharmaceutical industry and to
continue providing drug treatments that contribute to patients and
to society.”
The acquisition would mark Blackstone’s first control private
equity investment in Japan. The transaction is expected to close in
the second quarter of 2019, subject to regulatory approvals and
customary closing conditions.
About Blackstone
Blackstone is one of the world’s leading investment firms. We
seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our
investors, the companies in which we invest, and the communities in
which we work. We do this by using extraordinary people and
flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Our asset
management businesses, with $472 billion in assets under
management, include investment vehicles focused on infrastructure,
private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, non-investment
grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global
basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com.
Follow Blackstone on twitter @Blackstone.
About AYUMI Pharmaceutical
AYUMI is a leading specialty pharmaceutical company in Japan
which manufactures and sells a portfolio of drug products
addressing anti-rheumatism and orthopedic pain management. The
Company was established in 2015 through the integration of Santen’s
anti-rheumatic drug business and Showa’s medical business, and has
a nationwide footprint today. The Company is headquartered in
Tokyo, Japan.
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Media:BlackstoneMatt
Anderson+1-212-390-2472matthew.anderson@blackstone.com
Deborah Hayden+81 3 4360 9017Deborah.Hayden@edelman.com
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