DPI exits biopharmaceuticals platform to Mubadala
DPI exits biopharmaceuticals platform to Mubadala
KELIX bio was founded in 2020 to create the first pan-African biopharmaceutical platform.
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Africa-focused private equity firm Development Partners International (DPI) together with British International Investment (BII) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), announced the sale of 100% of their shareholding in KELIX bio, a biopharmaceuticals platform, to Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Investment Company.
KELIX bio was co-founded in November 2020 by investors DPI, BII, EBRD, and executives Hocine Sidi Said and Alhadi Alwazir, to create the first pan-African biopharmaceutical platform committed to broadening access to vital specialty generic drugs.
Following its creation and initial capital injection, KELIX bio raised further funding from DPI (both directly and indirectly through a DPI-managed vehicle which raised capital from Proparco, DEG, FMO and US-based private sector and institutional investors) and BII. This enabled KELIX bio to invest further in new acquisitions, cross-market distribution channels, the research and development of new drugs, and provided the company’s leadership with additional sector and emerging markets expertise to execute their ambitious impact-focused strategy.
Since 2020, KELIX bio has made several key investments and now consists of four subsidiary companies: Adwia (Egypt), Celon Labs (India), Kelix Bio Malta (Malta) and PHI (Morocco), operating across six countries.
Acquired by KELIX bio in 2020, Adwia is one of Egypt’s leading generics pharmaceutical companies, exporting across the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Africa. Celon Labs, acquired in 2020 and based in Hyderabad, India, manufactures innovative and cost-efficient oncology and critical care treatments, exporting to more than 42 countries globally. PHI, acquired in 2022, is one of Morocco’s largest producers of generic pharmaceuticals. The platform also acquired KELIX bio Malta in 2022, a state-of-the-art facility producing EU approved oncology injectables at a US FDA and EMA approved manufacturing site.
The platform’s revenues now exceed $150 million and the critical medicines it produces are available in over 50 countries across Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
DPI invested from its flagship third fund ADP III.
Sofiane Lahmar, partner at DPI commented: “We are delighted to announce the sale of KELIX bio to Mubadala. Since we established the business with our partners, we have worked closely with management to create a unique buy-and-build platform that increases the availability and affordability of quality drugs across Africa and the Middle East. The successful growth of KELIX bio, and its international expansion, is testament to the long-term strategic vision and execution capabilities of co-founders Hocine Sidi-Said and Alhadi Alwazir. We firmly believe that KELIX bio has the right foundations from which to build and continue its growth story under new ownership. We wish Mubadala and KELIX bio management continued success with the business."
Samir Abhyankar, managing director at BII, said: “We are proud to have helped develop and grow KELIX bio into a highly impactful pharmaceutical business operating in our core geographies of Africa and South Asia. KELIX bio has helped to tackle the challenges facing patients and healthcare systems in emerging markets by providing affordable, life-saving treatments and increasing the range and quality of products available, while aiming to reduce the incidences of counterfeit products in the market. Capital mobilisation is a key part of our role as a leading development finance institution. It is a testament to KELIX bio’s trajectory that it attracted commercial growth capital, securing its successful future.”
Frederic Lucenet, global head of manufacturing and services at EBRD, said: “KELIX bio has played a vital role in increasing access to life-saving medications while lowering the costs of products. We have been pleased to play an important part in the launch of the platform to accelerate the delivery of critical drugs in Egypt and Morocco, and this underscores our commitment to developing the pharmaceutical industry in our countries of operation.”
Allen & Overy LLP acted as legal advisor to DPI, BII, and EBRD on this transaction.
The close of this transaction is subject to regulatory approval.
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