Hanna Paloheimo

Mérieux Equity Partners – Acquisition of Labquality

We acted as the legal and ESG advisor to Mérieux Equity Partners on the acquisition of a majority stake in Labquality through a leveraged buyout by its buyout fund, Mérieux Participations 4. Existing shareholders of Labquality, including Cor Group and the management, will reinvest a portion of their proceeds into the company in connection with the transaction. Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, Labquality is a Nordic player specialized in EQA, CRO activities and regulatory affairs, with a strong local presence in Central and Eastern Europe. The company provides a comprehensive array of services for the healthcare, medical technology, and pharmaceutical industries. The company, employing over 120 professionals and supported by a network of more than 150 external experts and consultants across its offices in Finland, Germany, and Poland, serves a diverse clientele of over 8,000 customers, including major pharmaceutical companies in over 60 countries. Mérieux Equity Partners (MxEP) is an AMF-accredited management company dedicated to equity investments in the Healthcare and Nutrition sectors. MxEP actively supports entrepreneurs and companies with differentiated products and services, giving them privileged access to its sector expertise and international network. The transaction will enable Labquality to pursue its buy & build strategy in Europe to accelerate its CRO activities while continuing strong and recurring growth in the EQA segment. Labquality will benefit from MxEP’s sector expertise and financial resources to achieve its ambition of becoming a leading European CRO and EQA platform, with fully integrated regulatory consulting capabilities to serve major customers across Europe.

4.12.2023

Voisin Consulting Life Sciences (VCLS) – Acquisition of MedEngine

We advised Voisin Consulting Life Sciences (VCLS) on the acquisition of MedEngine, a leading medical science agency in the Nordics. MedEngine is a digitally minded, premium service provider for the pharmaceutical industry, built upon extensive academic expertise and years of experience in the industry. Founded in 2014, MedEngine has a strong presence across the Nordic countries with offices in Helsinki (Finland), Copenhagen (Denmark), and Stockholm (Sweden). Founded in 1997, VCLS provides end-to-end HealthTech solutions to support biotechnology, pharmaceutical and MedTech manufacturers throughout their product development. With offices in the US, France, UK, Switzerland, Denmark, Madagascar, India, and China, VCLS serves a broad range of developers and investors in HealthTech.

7.11.2023

Oddlygood and Valio – Acquisition of Planti

We advised Valio and Oddlygood in their acquisition of the Nordic brand and business Planti. Through the acquisition, Oddlygood becomes the owner of the Planti products and brand, as well as related intellectual property rights. Oddlygood becomes the market leader in plant-based dairy alternative spoonable snacks in Sweden and dairy alternative cooking products in Finland. Simultaneously, Oddlygood’s majority owner Valio acquires Planti’s production in Turku, including the employees at the site. Until the acquisition, the Planti brand was part of the Norwegian Kavli Group.

3.10.2023

Biovian – Manufacturing facility project

We acted as advisor to Biovian in a EUR 50 million manufacturing facility project in Turku, Finland. The new facility to be constructed in connection with the project will cover an area of 6,400 sqm and house cutting-edge equipment and advanced technologies to support the development, manufacturing, and testing of ATMP (Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products). It will also feature dedicated Class A to D cleanroom areas for bulk drug substances as well as final drug product manufacture. The construction project is expected to be completed in December 2024. Biovian is a globally operating GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) of biopharmaceuticals, providing development and manufacturing services from early stage to finished product. Biovian is especially focusing on viral vector production, microbial production of recombinant proteins and GMP plasmid DNA.

30.8.2023

Lifa Air – Listing on First North

We advised Lifa Air Plc in its listing on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland. The company raised gross proceeds of approximately EUR 7.7 million in the initial public offering that consisted of public, institutional and personnel offerings. After the IPO, the company has over 1,100 shareholders. ‘The listing and the funds raised through the IPO will support us in implementing our growth strategy. Many things create demand for Lifa Air’s products, ranging from the pandemic with no foreseeable end, new airborne diseases and pathogens, the increase of air pollutants and an increasingly poor quality of indoor air as well as geopolitical threats’, says Vesa Mäkipää , CEO of Lifa Air. Trading in Lifa Air’s shares began on First North on 20 April 2022. Lifa Air is a Finnish technology company established in 1988 and headquartered in Helsinki. It offers solutions for clean breathing air. Lifa Air’s business is divided into three business segments: air purifiers, respirators and medical face masks, and ventilation hygiene products.

21.4.2022

9Lives Group – Acquisition of Stella Kotipalvelut

We advised first aid and ambulance service company 9Lives Group Oy when it acquired the entire share capital of Stella Kotipalvelut Oy. The acquisition is at the heart of 9Lives’ strategy and is driven by, among other things, the SOTE reform and the megatrend of population aging. ‘Stella is one of the leading players in home care and personal care in Finland. By combining our strengths and expertise, we will have an even stronger foothold in the market as well as a more comprehensive service network, and we will be able to offer high-quality and versatile care close to the customer competitively. In addition, as a Finnish-owned and entrepreneur-driven operator, we are able to react to market changes quickly, in a customer-oriented and reliable manner’, says Markus Ulfstedt , CEO and owner of 9Lives. 9Lives is Finland’s largest private company providing first aid and ambulance services. The clients of its ambulance services are public actors and medical institutions. The company has also lately become known with COVID-19. The company’s turnover in 2020 was approximately EUR 20 million and it employs 800 people. Stella Kotipalvelut Oy is a company specialising in home care services, with a turnover of EUR 24 million in 2020. The company employs 1,600 people, of whom 520 are permanent employees.

5.1.2022

The Rohatyn Group – Acquisition of Crown CRO Group

We advised The Rohatyn Group, a New York headquartered private equity and asset management house, and its portfolio company Optimapharm d.o.o (Croatia) in the acquisition of contract research group Crown CRO, which has a presence in the Nordics and Baltics. The Rohatyn Group is a multi-strategy investment firm that is based in New York, NY. The firm offers multiple products across asset classes and investment approaches including hedge funds, credit, risk management, fixed income, macro and private market strategies. The firm has a presence in 15 cities globally. Optimapharm is a leading European, mid-sized, full-service Clinical Research Organization (CRO) that provides successful tailor-made clinical research solutions to biotech, pharma and medical device companies. Crown CRO, established in 2005, is a privately owned CRO with Finnish roots and a global network. Crown CRO specialises in customer-oriented, competitive and flexible services for clinical trials and regulatory affairs in Europe and the United States, serving the pharmaceutical, biotech, functional food, and medical device industries as well as contract research organisations. Headquartered in Finland, CrownCRO also has a strong presence in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

21.12.2021

Hadean Ventures – Investment in Neuro Event Labs

We advised Hadean Ventures as the lead investor in the financing round of Finnish health tech company Neuro Event Labs Oy. Neuro Event Labs Oy provides an AI-powered diagnostic platform for epilepsy. The product, ‘Nelli’, enables better diagnosing and monitoring of epilepsy patients by analysing video and audio recordings from a patient’s bedside with computer vision. The platform identifies the type of the seizure and suggests personalised treatment. Hadean Ventures is a life science fund manager with offices in Oslo and Stockholm that invests in life science companies across Europe with a particular focus on the Nordic region. The team at Hadean Ventures combines in-depth knowledge in both medicine and life sciences as well as venture capital investments.

25.5.2020

Peptonic Medical – Acquisition of Majority Stake in Lune Group

We advised Peptonic Medical AB (publ), a Swedish medical development company, in the acquisition of a majority stake in Lune Group Oy Ltd, a Finnish company that sells the Lunette menstrual cup. The acquisition allows Peptonic to grow and expand its product portfolio by enabling the merger of two strong women’s health and selfcare brands with several synergies. In addition, the acquisition gives Peptonic access to a global distribution network that is already up and running, including in the United States. Peptonic is listed on the Spotlight Stock Market in Stockholm, Sweden. Lune Group was founded in 2005 by CEO Heli Kurjanen and has earned its place as a top global menstrual cup company through its continued focus on quality, safety, sustainability and inclusivity. Lune Group Oy Ltd has a subsidiary in North America. The completion of the acquisition is subject to certain customary conditions and is expected to occur during June 2020.

18.5.2020

Kirin – Investment in Nightingale Health

We advised Kirin Holdings Company (Tokyo, Japan) in their co-investment with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. in, and strategic partnership with, Finnish blood-testing company Nightingale Health Oy. Nightingale Health Ltd., is a market leader in advanced blood-testing for preventative health solutions. The strategic partnership is formed to launch Nightingale’s blood-testing services in Japan, as well as to develop novel wellness products. The aim of this initiative is to help people to stay healthy by leveraging the globally unique biomarker information provided by Nightingale’s blood-test. Kirin is a global, multi-industry food and beverages company headquartered in Tokyo. Kirin manufactures and sells alcohol and non-alcohol beverages globally through its underlying companies such as Kirin Brewery (Japan), Kirin Beverage (Japan), Lion (Australia), and Myanmar Brewery (Myanmar), as well as engages in pharmaceutical and bio-chemical businesses through Kyowa Kirin and Kyowa Hakko Bio. Mitsui is one of the most diversified and comprehensive trading, investment and service enterprises in the world, with 139 offices in 66 countries as of Apr, 2019. Utilising its global operating locations, network and information resources, Mitsui is multilaterally pursuing business that ranges from product sales, worldwide logistics and financing, through to the development of major international infrastructure and other projects in the following fields: Iron & Steel Products, Mineral & Metal Resources, Infrastructure Projects, Mobility, Chemicals, Energy, Food, Food & Retail Management, Healthcare & Service, IT & Communication Business, Corporate Development Business.

14.1.2020

Pohjola Health – Sale of Occupational Health Services Business

We are acting as the legal advisor of Pohjola Health Ltd, an OP Financial Group company, in Pohjola Health’s sale of its occupational health services business to Mehiläinen. Following the acquisition, the occupational healthcare services personnel will be transferred to Mehiläinen under their current terms of employment. The closing of the acquisition is expected to take place on 1 June 2019. Pohjola Health has further defined its strategy and will focus on orthopaedics and sports clinic operations. Pohjola Health is an OP Financial Group company. OP Financial Group is Finland’s largest financial services group. It is entirely owned by its customers. OP Financial Group currently employs more than 12,000 people and has approximately 3.9 million private customers, 440,000 corporate customers and 1.7 million owner-customers. The Group consists of some 170 independent member cooperative banks and their central cooperative, OP Cooperative, with its subsidiaries and affiliates.

25.4.2019

Keensight Capital – Acquisition of Biovian

We acted as advisor to Keensight Capital in its acquisition of a majority stake in Biovian Oy alongside the founders and the managers of Biovian and Edmond de Rothschild Equity Strategies (ERES) funds. Our Private Equity, Tax & Structuring, and Banking & Finance services advised Keensight Capital on all relevant legal, tax, structuring and financing aspects of the transaction. Founded in 2003, Biovian is a leading European GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDmO) of biopharmaceuticals, providing manufacturing and development services from early stage to finished product. The company provides services to approximately 30 customers, including international biotech and biopharma companies from the E.U., U.S. and South Korea. Keensight Capital is one of the leading European growth buyout firms, having almost 20 years of experience in investing for the long term in profitable companies with high growth potential and revenues in the range of €15 million to €250 million. Keensight Capital has strong expertise in the sectors of internet & information technology and healthcare & wellbeing, and in particular the pharma industry and the CDmO sector.

4.6.2018

FIT Biotech Oy – Listing on First North

We advised FIT Biotech Oy in its listing on the First North market maintained by the Helsinki Stock Exchange. FIT Biotech is a biopharma company established in 1995. It focuses on DNA vaccines and gene therapy. In the initial public offering, the company raised gross funds of EUR 3.5 million. After the offering, the company has 395 shareholders. Trading in the company’s shares on First North began on 1 July 2015.

1.7.2015

Verdane Capital and other sellers – Sale of CRF Health to Vitruvian Partners

We acted as the Finnish counsel to the target company and the sellers in the sale of CRF Box Oy (CRF Health) to funds managed and advised by Vitruvian Partners. Travers Smith acted as the lead counsel to the company and previous shareholders including funds advised by Verdane Capital Advisors. CRF Health is the leading provider of electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment (eCOA) solutions for global clinical trials.

5.2.2015

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