EW Healthcare Partners announced today that it has acquired Germfree Laboratories, Inc., a leading U.S. manufacturer of turnkey, mobile and modular cleanrooms and biocontainment facilities, as well as the equipment and services required for critical environments.

Founded in 1962, Germfree has continuously provided advanced solutions for healthcare and life science clients. The company has experienced significant growth over the years, with more than 200 facilities deployed on six continents and nearly 200 employees located in its  173,000 ft2 (16,000 m2), environmentally controlled, manufacturing plant in Ormond Beach, Florida. Germfree's mobile and modular solutions are well-suited to service major, highly-regulated market segments in Biopharma, Compounding Pharmacy, and Biocontainment.

"There is an increasing demand for mobile and modular cleanrooms in biopharma to keep pace with new technologies and platforms, capacity constraints and the demand for flexible solutions that are delivered quickly," said Evis Hursever, Managing Director at EW Healthcare Partners. "Germfree is addressing this demand for cleanrooms by designing and manufacturing advanced solutions for specialised and flexible cGMP-compliant manufacturing space. We look forward to working with Kevin and his team to further accelerate the company's growth into the fast-growing ATMP (advanced therapy medicinal products) sector."

"Together with EW, Germfree is positioned to maximize and scale our manufacturing to help fill the biomanufacturing capacity gap facing biopharma," said Kevin Kyle, Germfree's CEO. "EW is the perfect partner to foster and fuel Germfree's growth journey. Our shared mission to deliver innovation in healthcare and biopharma, and their commitment to our next stages of growth and long-term success, makes this a tremendous strategic fit. Further, EW's expertise and experience in advanced therapeutics and their extensive global network add synergy, as we expand our solutions to meet the fast-growing demands in segments such as cell and gene therapy."

Kirkland & Ellis acted as legal adviser, A&M as FDD and tax adviser, and BCG as commercial due diligence adviser for EW Healthcare Partners.  Jefferies LLC served as exclusive financial advisor and Holland & Knight LLP acted as legal adviser to Germfree.   

About EW Healthcare Partners ("EW") 

With over $4 billion raised since inception, EW Healthcare Partners is one of the largest and oldest private healthcare investment firms and seeks to make growth equity investments in fast-growing commercial-stage healthcare companies in the pharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostics, and technology-enabled services sectors in the United States and in Europe. Since its founding in 1985, EW Healthcare Partners has maintained its singular commitment to the healthcare industry and has been a long-term investor in over 150 healthcare companies, ranging across sectors, stages and geographies. The team is comprised of over 20 senior investment professionals with offices in New York, London and Houston.  https://www.ewhealthcare.com/

About Germfree Laboratories, Inc.

For six decades, Germfree has been creating environments that serve life science innovation and advance global health. The company designs and manufactures mobile and modular cleanrooms and high-containment laboratories, as well as a comprehensive line of biosafety and aseptic processing equipment. Germfree's bioGO® cleanrooms provide flexible, scalable solutions for biopharma and advanced therapy manufacturing. With over 200 facility installations in 32 countries, Germfree is a global company, committed to enabling its clients to develop new life-saving cures or prevent the next pandemic. The Germfree team provides leading-edge engineering and technology, subject-matter expertise, and a foundation of highly skilled builders, all located at its facility in Ormond Beach, Florida. https://www.germfree.com/.