EQT VII acquires health technology company Certara for USD 850 million

PRINCETON, N.J. and NEW YORK, July 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The EQT VII fund ("EQT VII") today announced that it has agreed to acquire Certara (the "Company"), the leading provider of technology-driven decision support solutions for drug development, for an enterprise value of USD 850 million. The Company is being acquired from Arsenal Capital Partners. As part of the transaction, Arsenal Capital Partners will retain a minority ownership stake in Certara, with the Company's current management team, led by Edmundo Muniz, MD, PhD, continuing to lead the organization, building on a multi-year track record of both organic growth and strategic acquisitions.

Certara is the leading provider of model-informed drug development technology and services, as well as a best-in-class provider of regulatory science, writing, and submission management software and services. Certara's solutions help inform the drug development and regulatory approval process and address the key efficacy, safety, productivity and commercial challenges facing the biopharma industry. The Company serves 1,200 commercial companies, 250 academic institutions and numerous regulatory agencies, across 60 countries. Certara is headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey with over 500 employees globally, including key operations and senior management in Northern Europe.

Eric Liu, Partner at EQT Partners, Investment Advisor to EQT VII said: "We are deeply impressed by what the Certara management team has accomplished over the last few years. Today, Certara is the global leader in an exciting and rapidly developing market, uniquely positioned to transform the field of drug development. Under Edmundo's leadership the Company has assembled a strong and visionary management team and a highly-talented scientific staff, while fostering a mission-driven culture and accelerating growth. We are excited to support the development of Certara through continued investment in next generation technology, further international expansion and complementary acquisitions."

"We are excited to team up with EQT as we look toward Certara's next phase of growth," said Edmundo Muniz, MD, PhD and CEO of Certara. "This new strategic partnership with EQT will enable us to strengthen our core offerings as well as to capitalize on transformative next-phase growth opportunities. We are looking forward to a great partnership that will benefit our customers, our employees, and our industry."

Centerview Partners is serving as financial advisor and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is serving as legal advisor to EQT VII. Jefferies LLC is serving as lead financial advisor and William Blair & Company as co-advisor to Certara. DLA Piper and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP are serving as legal advisors to Certara.

Contact Information

US Media:
Daniel Yunger or Ross Lovern
KEKST +1 212-521-4800

European Media:
EQT Press Office +46 8 506 55 334

About EQT
EQT is a leading alternative investments firm with approximately EUR 37 billion in raised capital across 24 funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia and the US with total sales of more than EUR 19 billion and approximately 110,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership. EQT is an active investor in the healthcare sector, including recent investments in Press Ganey, Ottobock, Sivantos, and Lima Corporate.

More info: www.eqtpartners.com

About Certara
Certara is a leading decision support technology and consulting organization committed to optimizing drug development and improving health outcomes. Certara's solutions, which span drug discovery through patient care, use the most scientifically-advanced modeling and simulation technologies and regulatory strategies to increase the probability of regulatory and commercial success. Its clients include hundreds of global biopharmaceutical companies, leading academic institutions, and key regulatory agencies.

More info: www.certara.com

About Arsenal
Arsenal Capital Partners is a specialized private equity firm that invests in the US lower middle market with a deep focus in two sectors, Healthcare and Specialty Industrials. Since inception in 2000, Arsenal has raised four funds totaling USD 2.98 billion in committed capital under management. Arsenal has completed over 100 transactions, including platform portfolio companies and follow-on acquisitions.

More info: www.arsenalcapital.com

SOURCE EQT Partners

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