A Strategic Acquisition in the Netherlands, strengthening Oncodesign Services’ Position in Small Molecule Drug Discovery
∕ Oncodesign Services, a French Preclinical Drug Discovery company, has completed the acquisition of the Dutch company ZoBio expert in biophysics-based Small Molecule Drug Discovery.
∕ Oncodesign Services is a leading European CRO in preclinical drug discovery. The company supports its
biotech and pharmaceutical customers in the preclinical evaluation of experimental therapies in oncology
and immuno-inflammation, drawing on its expertise in medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry,
DMPK, pharmaco-imaging, and molecular radiotherapy. The company has successfully developed several
drug candidates that have reached the clinical development phase together with its partner clients. Since
January 2023, the funds advised by Elyan Partners have been the majority shareholder in Oncodesign
Services.
∕ ZoBio is a Dutch player specializing in the early stages of preclinical research on small molecules. ZoBio
has built a class-leading platform that provides a complete solution for Fragment Based Drug Discovery
to their clients. Their gene-to-lead capabilities include protein production, biophysical and functional
assays, structural biology (crystallography, NMR & cryoEM), and fragment-focused medicinal chemistry.
∕ The acquisition of ZoBio strengthens Oncodesign Services in the upstream phase of Drug Discovery to
form a European player offering integrated drug candidate discovery services, specializing in small
molecules. The combined entities generated nearly €44m in sales in 2023 and have over 280 employees
spread between France, the Netherlands, and with subsidiaries in Canada and the USA.
∕ Oncodesign Services aims to become a European leader in Drug Discovery, by offering integrated services,
placing operational excellence at the heart of its strategy, and investing in innovative technologies.
∕ In conjunction with this transaction, Nov Santé Actions Non Cotées, managed by Eurazeo, is investing in
Oncodesign Services, thereby increasing the resources available to finance external growth and giving the
Company the benefit of its expertise as an investor specializing in Life Sciences.
A transaction led by Altios Corporate Finance
- Altios Corporate Finance advised and supported Oncodesign Services in its external growth strategy. The mandate included identifying companies with a geographical and technological fit with Oncodesign Services, making contact with relevant targets, analyzing ZoBio’s strategic and commercial positioning, and then providing support during the negotiation and due diligence coordination phases.
- Altios Corporate Finance’s role:
- Screening, market research, identification, and qualification of potential acquisition targets in several countries
- Approach of qualified targets
- Coordination of due diligence, including commercial due diligence (customer interviews)
- Analysis of customer satisfaction and service quality.
With this transaction, Altios Corporate Finance confirms its ability to support its clients in complex operations and bring strategic cross-border transactions to a successful conclusion.
- Altios Corporate Finance confirms its positioning as a buy-side M&A advisor in international small & mid cap external growth transactions.
- Altios also demonstrates its ability to forge long-term relationships with its customers, enabling it to provide support that is as close as possible to the strategic capital-intensive challenges facing companies, in conjunction with the Crédit Agricole Group and in particular the Champagne Bourgogne Regional Bank, which helped establish the business relationship with Oncodesign Services 3 years ago.
Testimony of Oncodesign Services
We are delighted to welcome ZoBio to the Group, strengthening our offering of preclinical small molecule drug discovery services, from therapeutic target to clinical entry, thanks to leading-edge skills and technologies. Oncodesign Services and ZoBio are highly complementary, and we share the same ambition of working together to identify innovative new drug candidates for our customers in major therapeutic areas. I would like to extend my warmest thanks to our partners at Altios, Elyan Partners, Eurazeo, and my management team for their excellent support in this acquisition, which is an important and transforming first step in the Group’s development strategy
Fabrice Viviani, CEO – Oncodesign Services
Testimony of Elyan Partners
The acquisition of ZoBio reflects the ambition we share with the management team of Oncodesign Services to build a European leader in preclinical services. It is a strategic move for Oncodesign Services, which acquires the expertise needed to develop an integrated offering from therapeutic target to regulatory preclinical stage. It will also enable the Group to accelerate its growth and internationalization through ZoBio’s strong presence in North America from its base in the Netherlands, combined with Oncodesign Services’ excellent positioning in Europe.
Jean-François Félix & Maxence de Vienne, Partners – Elyan Partners
Testimony of Altios Corporate Finance
We are delighted to have been able to bring about this value-creating merger for the Oncodesign Services group, which will continue its international expansion to become a European leader in preclinical services. Our close and trusting relationship with the management of Oncodesign Services and the Elyan Partners teams has enabled us to complete this transaction under the best possible conditions.
Alexandre Kaplan, M&A Director and Partner – Altios Corporate Finance
Participants
Buyer’s advisors:
➢ Altios Corporate Finance (M&A) : Alexandre Kaplan, Elia Laurent, Nicolas Vacher
➢ Financial : FTI Bold – Saskia Hinkenkemper, Arnoud Hattink, Anne van der Giessen, Arthur Oomen
➢ Legal : McDermott Will & Emery – Henri Pieyre de Mandiargues, Côme de Saint-Vincent, Lucie Martin, Natacha Vasak
➢ Legal : DeBreij – Gaston Freijser, Robert Vodegel, Maxime Jongh
➢ Fiscal : VanLoman – Marc Oostenbroek, Lotte van Rij, Maiken Rooker, Daniël Pieters
➢ ESG : ERM – Maryelle Ouvrard, Aurélien Beckmann, Siena Schickler
Contact Press: Alexandre Kaplan, M&A Director, a.kaplan@altios.com
