Development Partners International (“DPI”) through its ADP III fund, CDC Group, the UK’s publicly owned impact investor, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (“EBRD”) have joined forces in a ground-breaking deal to create a major new player in the pan-African pharmaceuticals industry.
The three founding investors have committed an initial $250 million of capital that have been used to fund the acquisition and combination of Adwia Pharmaceuticals, an Egyptian generic drugs manufacturer, and Celon Laboratories Pvt, an Indian oncology and critical care specialist. The platform will leverage its manufacturing and R&D centre of excellence in India to strengthen its local manufacturing operations in Africa, while capturing synergies from centralised supply chain management and business development.
This first of its kind Pan-African platform is designed to compete in large, fast-growing markets as well as high-demand, differentiated therapeutic areas such as oncology through innovation and cost leadership. The newly created platform will improve the delivery of essential and affordable specialty generic pharmaceuticals across the African continent. This will be supported by up to an additional $500 million fund raise, to fund a strong pipeline of acquisitions, assist in new drug development, and establishment of new distribution channels.
The platform is co-founded by the executive management team comprising Hocine Sidi-Said, Chief Executive Officer and Alhadi Alwazir, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Corporate Development, who together bring decades of emerging market pharma experience, private equity transaction experience and a strong buy and build track record.
