New Rhein concludes successful investment in Chase Pharmaceuticals via sale to Allergan

CHICAGO, Nov. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- New Rhein Healthcare Investors LLC ("New Rhein"), an investment firm focused on healthcare therapeutics and medical devices, today announced it has successfully concluded its investment in Chase Pharmaceuticals through the sale of this portfolio company to Allergan plc.

"We are honored to have had the opportunity to invest in Chase Pharmaceuticals and support such an important and urgent unmet medical need with Alzheimer's disease," said Greg Parekh, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Chase Pharmaceuticals and Partner at New Rhein. "This transaction will enable even faster and more robust development of CPC-201, and in the hands of Allergan we are increasing the potential of this therapy to serve in the fight against Alzheimer's disease and support a much greater number of patients and their caregivers."

Allergan is gaining access to a patented platform technology for neurodegenerative disorders with a number of compounds in development. The lead compound, CPC-201, an innovative therapeutic compound in late-stage clinical development, offers the potential of new ways to treat Alzheimer's disease. In the United States alone a new Alzheimer's patient is diagnosed every minute, with more than five million patients suffering from this disease and societal costs of several hundred billion dollars.

Under terms of the agreement, New Rhein has merged Chase Pharmaceuticals with a subsidiary of Allergan in an all-cash transaction that involves a $125 million upfront payment and the potential for additional clinical and commercial milestone payments. New Rhein and its co-lead investors, Cipla New Ventures and Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners, owned 62% of Chase Pharmaceuticals.  The firms also held Board positions at Chase.  Cipla being represented by Vikram Sudarsan and Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners represented by Raphaël Wisniewski.

Value-Based Clinically Useful Innovation

New Rhein's investment in Chase Pharmaceuticals is an example of the firm's strategy to bring operational excellence to businesses focused on important unmet medical needs. The focus is on innovation rather than invention – building on existing research with new approaches that enable new or repurposed drugs and innovative medical devices to be used in underserved markets in a more efficient, cost-effective way. Chase Pharmaceuticals shareholders have invested approximately $24 million since its founding to create a portfolio of patented innovative drugs.  

"Chase benefited from our passionate founders, Drs. Chase and Clarence Smith, as well as a sophisticated, collaborative Board of Directors that constructively challenged and supported us every step of the way," said Douglas Ingram, CEO of Chase Pharmaceuticals. "It was rewarding to work with our board chair, Greg Parekh and our board of directors, a group that understood our vision and worked with us as one team dedicated to bring CPC-201 to patients and physicians."

New Rhein's strategy enables the firm to identify high potential but under-appreciated drug programs and by bringing operational excellence to the program, improve their profile, increase their probability of success and unlock unrealized value. New Rhein invested in 2014 when Chase Pharma had two employees and CPC-201 had just finished a 6 patient Phase 1 study.

"With a capital raise, a solid Board of Directors, support of John Siebert as interim CEO and recruitment and operational excellence of our current CEO Doug Ingram, the Company advanced CPC-201 to Phase III and enabled itself to be acquired," said Dr. Thomas N Chase, MD, co-Founder of Chase Pharmaceuticals. "New Rhein team saw the opportunity early on and believed in us," added Dr. Kathleen Clarence-Smith, co-Founder.

Disciplined biopharmaceutical investment model

New Rhein has made four targeted investments since inception in 2011, and this transaction marks the third successful investment completion. The aggregate internal rate of return (IRR) to date is more than 100% annually. The investment group of New Rhein, Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners and Cipla Limited (through its impact investment unit Cipla New Ventures) provided approximately $20 million in Series B financing to Chase Pharmaceuticals (83% of its capital since inception). 

Cowen and Company served as financial advisor and Hogan Lovells served as legal counsel to the Board of Directors of Chase Pharmaceuticals in the transaction with Allergan.

About New Rhein Healthcare

New Rhein is a private equity investment firm focused on healthcare therapeutics and medical devices. Its partners and associates are former industry executives with significant operational and transactional experience. New Rhein invests in businesses that utilize proven products in new applications (e.g., new indications, new dosage forms, new regulatory pathways) for existing medicines. The company compiles syndicates of operationally focused investors who together bring a wealth of experience and a broad network of relationships to support portfolio companies in development, regulatory, reimbursement, marketing and/or contract manufacturing. New Rhein provides an understanding on what would be attractive to strategic partners and works backwards to help its portfolio companies build their value proposition. New Rhein investments have included medicines for Alzheimer's disease, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, molecular diagnostics and respiratory drug/device inhalers.

About CPC-201

Chase's lead candidate is CPC-201, an oral combination of donepezil, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI), and a peripherally acting cholinergic blocker for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Chase successfully completed multiple Phase I studies of CPC-201. The Phase II trial of CPC-201 in patients with moderate Alzheimer's disease was successfully completed during 2016. The Phase III clinical trials are scheduled to begin in 2017.

About Chase Pharmaceuticals

Chase Pharmaceuticals Corporation is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of improved treatments for neurodegenerative disorders. Chase's development program, if successful, will profoundly improve the symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The company was co-founded by Thomas Chase, MD, the former Scientific Director and head of the Experimental Therapeutics Branch for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and Kathleen Clarence-Smith, MD, PhD, the former head of CNS development at each of Sanofi, Hoffmann-La Roche and Otsuka. Chase is led by its chief executive officer and president, Douglas Ingram, formerly the president of Allergan, Inc.  Chase's Board is headed by its Chair, Greg Parekh, founding partner of New Rhein Healthcare Investors, LLC, and formerly worldwide head of M&A at Novartis. 

Chase has closed over $24 million in funding, with approximately $22 million through a Series B financing led by New Rhein Healthcare Investors, LLC and including, among others, Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners, Cipla Ventures and Brain Trust Accelerator Fund. 

About Cipla Limited

About Cipla Ltd. Cipla is a global pharmaceutical company which uses cutting edge technology and innovation to meet the everyday needs of all patients. For over 80 years, Cipla has emerged as one of the most respected pharmaceutical names in India as well as across more than 100 countries. Our portfolio includes over 1000 products across wide range of therapeutic categories with one quality standard globally.

Whilst delivering a long-term sustainable business, Cipla recognises its duty to provide affordable medicines. Cipla's emphasis on access for patients was recognised globally for the pioneering role played in HIV/AIDS treatment as the first pharmaceutical company to provide a triple combination anti-retroviral (ARV) in Africa at less than a dollar a day and thereby treating many millions of patients since 2001. Cipla's research and development focuses on developing innovative products and drug delivery systems.

About Cipla (EU) Limited

Cipla (EU) Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cipla Limited in the UK.

About Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners

Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners, a benchmark growth/mezzanine capital and venture capital firm, is a French société en commandite par actions (limited stock partnership) which is 51% owned by the Edmond de Rothschild Group and 49% owned by the general partner Montalivet Investment Managers, a holding company composed of the management company's partners and employees.

Based in Paris, the management company has 54 employees of which 36 are investment professionals and manages over 1.5 billion euros in three investment themes: life sciences (BioDiscovery), private equity and buyout capital (Cabestan for small caps and Winch for mid caps) and mezzanine financing (Acto Mezz). Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners will continue to raise funds in its current segments over the coming months with Biodiscovery 5 and Acto Mezzanine 3, bringing its assets under management to over 2 billion euros.

The BioDiscovery team at Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners is composed of nine professionals with a cumulated experience of over 60 years in the life sciences industry and over 100 years in private investments. The team actively supports companies developing therapeutics or medical technologies through a lead investor role, in Europe and the United States. Since their launch, BioDiscovery funds have invested in 55 companies, of which 16 were sold to trade buyers and 16 were listed on the stockmarket. €450M have been raised for the BioDiscovery franchise since 2000. Fundraising for BioDiscovery 5 is in progress.

It should be noted that BioDiscovery funds, including BioDiscovery 5, are venture capital funds, open to qualified investors. These funds are not subject to approval by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers and may adopt certain exemptions from the rules of investment.

For further information: www.edrip.fr

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SOURCE New Rhein Healthcare Investors LLC