MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced the formation of a new platform, Gamma Biosciences (“Gamma” or “the Company”), which will operate a portfolio of companies focused on next-generation bioprocessing technologies for the production of advanced biologic therapies. KKR and co-investors have committed to invest $200 million in Gamma. For KKR, the investment is from its Health Care Strategic Growth Fund, which is focused on high-growth companies for which KKR can be a unique partner in helping reach scale.
Matt Gunnison joins Gamma as a founding member, having most recently served as Global Head of Business Development for GE Healthcare, a $19 billion division of GE. In addition, experienced operators from the industry will join the management team in the coming months as the platform expands.
Gamma recently completed the platform’s first acquisition with its purchase of Astrea Bioseparations, a U.K.-based leader in affinity chromatography and process purification that last month announced a strategic supply partnership with Thermo Fisher Scientific to address the growing demand for better solutions in viral purification for gene therapy.
Gamma has also recently entered into an agreement with Univercells, an innovative bioprocessing provider, to take a controlling stake in the Belgium-based company’s manufacturing equipment business, including the NevoLine™ biomanufacturing platform and the scale-X™ bioreactor portfolio. The investment will enable Univercells’ continued expansion into the fast-growing gene therapy segment, including new developments to introduce a range of innovative solutions for manufacturing advanced therapeutics and vaccines.
“We are thrilled to be working with Matt and the highly experienced team at Gamma at a time when there is growing demand for advanced biologic therapies and a rapidly advancing field of biomanufacturing. We are also excited to be making KKR’s first investments in Europe from the Health Care Strategic Growth Fund,” said Kugan Sathiyanandarajah, Director on KKR’s Health Care team and Head of Europe for KKR’s Health Care Strategic Growth investing efforts.
“We are very excited to welcome Astrea and Univercells to the Gamma platform,” said Matt Gunnison. “Each of these businesses has developed leading technologies in its respective field and harbors world-class expertise in the area of bioprocess. Together, they will provide us with a foothold in both upstream and downstream process from which to build.”
About KKR
KKR is a leading global investment firm that manages multiple alternative asset classes, including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate and credit, with strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns for its fund investors by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and driving growth and value creation with KKR portfolio companies. KKR invests its own capital alongside the capital it manages for fund investors and provides financing solutions and investment opportunities through its capital markets business. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR), please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.
About Gamma Biosciences
Gamma Biosciences is a life sciences tools platform created by KKR. Gamma’s mission is to build a leading player in next-generation bioprocessing for advanced therapies by acquiring or investing in high-potential businesses with outstanding technology and accelerating their growth.