The Healthcare Investor Law Blog | McGuireWoods Attorneys

Blackstone Forms Life Sciences Investment Platform With Closing of Clarus Acquisition

By Amber Walsh on December 4, 2018 Posted in Life Sciences Investing, Uncategorized

The Blackstone Group has announced the closing of its acquisition of Clarus. The business will now operate as Blackstone Life Sciences.

Blackstone indicated that its new private investment platform will invest across the lifecycle of companies and products within life sciences sectors.

Historical funds will retain the Clarus name.

Blackstone had previously announced its acquisition of Clarus, a global life sciences investment firm based in Cambridge, Mass., and South San Francisco, in October.

Founded in 1985, Blackstone targets investments in established and growth-oriented businesses. It’s based in New York and publicly traded under the ticker symbol BX.

Why Private Equity Has Eyes On Vision Care

By Geoff Cockrell on November 28, 2018 Posted in Healthcare Services Investing

Key members of our McGuireWoods Healthcare Private Equity team — Holly Buckley, Thomas Zahn, Timothy Fry and Amanda Roenius — recently published an in-depth look at the recent growth of private equity interest in the ophthalmology space with Law360. The sector has been heating up over the last several years, and our colleagues examined the reasons why, key issues and ongoing opportunities for investors.

Read this Law360 column by clicking here.

Healthcare & Life Sciences Private Equity Deal Tracker: Audax and LLR Partners Complete Sale of Numotion

By Amber Walsh on November 26, 2018 Posted in Healthcare Services Investing

Audax Private Equity and LLR Partners have completed the sale of Numotion to AEA Investors and Numotion management, according to a news release.

Numotion, based in Brentwood, Tenn., is a provider of configured, medically necessary mobility products and services. Numotion serves more than 250,000 customers across 140 locations with more than 2,500 employees.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Audax, with private equity offices in Boston and San Francisco, was founded in 1999. It targets investments in middle-market companies in many sectors, including healthcare.

LLR Partners, based in Philadelphia and founded in 1999, is a middle-market private equity firm that invests in several industries, including healthcare.

AEA Investors, with U.S. offices in New York and Stamford, Conn., includes a middle-market private equity team established in 1968 that seeks to make controlling investments of more than $100 million in businesses headquartered in North America and Europe.

Veritas Capital and Evergreen Coast Capital to Acquire athenahealth for $5.7 Billion

By Geoff Cockrell on November 12, 2018 Posted in Healthcare Services Investing

athenahealth, Veritas Capital and Evergreen Coast Capital have announced that an affiliate of Veritas and Evergreen will acquire athenahealth for approximately $5.7 billion in cash.

Following completion of the acquisition, Veritas and Evergreen are expected to combine athenahealth with Virence Health, the GE Healthcare value-based care assets that Veritas acquired earlier this year. The combined company is expected to operate under the athenahealth brand and be headquartered in Watertown, Mass.

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019.

athenahealth, based in Watertown, is a provider of cloud-based services for medical practices and health systems.

Veritas, based in New York, is private equity firm with over $9.5 billion of assets under management. The firm invests in several sector, including healthcare.

Evergreen, based in Melo Park, Calif., is the private equity subsidiary of hedge fund Elliott Management Corp. Elliott, based in New York, had approximately $35 billion in assets under management as of July 1, 2018.

Women in Private Equity to Know: Ya Tung

By Amber Walsh on November 6, 2018 Posted in Healthcare Services Investing

McGuireWoods has long been an avid supporter of the advancement of professional women. As part of our initiative seeking to expand the leadership of women in private equity, we are profiling women leaders in private equity throughout 2018. We are hopeful that this series will serve to inspire other women to pursue their careers in private equity in a way that best challenges and motivates them, which these impressive women have all done. This month, we are pleased to feature Ya Tung of GCM Grosvenor. Access her profile by clicking here.

To recommend a woman for a future interview, email Amber Walsh at awalsh@mcguirewoods.com.

Healthcare & Life Sciences Private Equity Deal Tracker: KKR Completes Acquisition of Envision

By Amber Walsh on October 16, 2018 Posted in Healthcare Services Investing

KKR has announced it has completed its acquisition of Envision Healthcare Corp.

The deal, which was previously announced in June, is valued at $9.9 billion.

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) & Co., based in New York, considers investments in all industries, including healthcare. The firm is publicly traded under the ticker symbol KKR. It prefers to invest in a range of debt and public equity investing and may co-invest, seeking a controlling ownership of a company or a strategic minority position.

Envision, based in Nashville, Tenn., is a provider of physician-led services and post-acute care, and ambulatory surgery services. As of June 30, 2018, Envision says it delivered physician services s to more than 1,800 clinical departments in healthcare facilities in 45 states and the District of Columbia.

As a result of the acquisition, Envision became a wholly owned subsidiary of funds affiliated with KKR and Envision’s common stock ceased trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

DW Healthcare Sells Reliant Rehabilitation to H.I.G. Capital

By Geoff Cockrell on October 9, 2018 Posted in Healthcare Services Investing

DW Healthcare Partners (DWHP) has announced the sale of portfolio company Reliant Rehabilitation to an affiliate of H.I.G. Capital.

Reliant, based in Plano, Texas, is a provider of contract therapy services to post-acute facilities, serving more than 800 therapy sites in 40 states.

DWHP, with its U.S. office in Park City, Utah, is a PE firm focused exclusively on healthcare. Founded in 2002, DWHP targets investments in mid-to-late-stage companies.

H.I.G. Capital, based in Miami, is a PE and alternative assets investment firm. Founded in 1993, H.I.G. specializes in providing debt and equity capital to small- and mid-sized companies.

Women in Private Equity to Know: Caroline Ducas

By Amber Walsh on October 3, 2018 Posted in Healthcare Services Investing

McGuireWoods has long been an avid supporter of the advancement of professional women. As part of our initiative seeking to expand the leadership of women in private equity, we are profiling women leaders in private equity throughout 2018. We are hopeful that this series will serve to inspire other women to pursue their careers in private equity in a way that best challenges and motivates them, which these impressive women have all done. This month, we are pleased to feature Caroline Ducas of Resolute Capital Partners. Access her profile by clicking here.

To recommend a woman for a future interview, email Amber Walsh at awalsh@mcguirewoods.com.

Tailwind Capital Closes Third Fund With $1.8 Billion

By Amber Walsh on September 25, 2018 Posted in Healthcare Services Investing

Tailwind Capital has announced it has closed its third fund, Tailwind Capital Partners III, at $1.8 billion of commitments.

Tailwind indicated the funding will be used to continue the firm’s existing investment strategy.

Based in New York, Tailwind is a middle-market private equity firm focused on growth-oriented investments within healthcare and a few other sectors. The firm primarily targets companies with enterprise values up to $250 million. Current healthcare companies in its portfolio include Abode Healthcare (which was an investment from the new fund), Cumberland Consulting Group, Edenbridge Pharmaceuticals and National HME.

Healthcare & Life Sciences Private Equity Deal Tracker: Blue Ox Leads $52 Million Investment in Epic Sciences

By Geoff Cockrell on September 17, 2018 Posted in Healthcare Services Investing

Blue Ox Healthcare Partners has announced it led a $52 million series E investment in Epic Sciences.

Epic Sciences, based in San Diego, is a developer of diagnostics designed to advance the treatment and management of cancer, including a predictive test the company says determines how cancer cells will respond to a therapy.

Blue Ox, based in New York, is private equity investment firm focused on providing capital to growth stage healthcare companies. Founded in 2009, the firm focuses on businesses in the middle market, specifically targeting those companies with commercial products and solutions in healthcare services, healthcare IT, and medical and life sciences technologies.

Participants in the financing round also included new investors Deerfield Management and Varian and existing investors Altos Capital Partners, Genomic Health, Domain Associates, VI Ventures, Alexandria Venture Investments and Sabby Management, according to a news release.

Proceeds are expected to be used to accelerate Epic’s clinical studies and execution of its growth plan.