Arcline Investment Management Acquires Akron Biotechnology to Advance Development of Novel Biomaterials for Cell and Gene Therapy

On September 20, 2019, VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned from foreign media reports that U.S. private equity firm Arcline Investment Management (Arcline) announced the acquisition of biotechnology company Akron Biotechnology (Akron). No financial terms of the transaction were disclosed.

Following the completion of this acquisition, Arcline will assist Akron Biotechnology in producing biomaterials such as cytokines, plasmid DNA, and recombinant proteins, thereby providing support for viral or non-viral transduction, gene editing technologies, and related applications.

Akron, founded by Dr. Claudia Zylberberg in 2006 and headquartered in Florida, USA, is an ISO 13485-certified innovative biotechnology company. As a leading supplier of biologics, the company is dedicated to providing high-quality raw materials for the regenerative medicine industry. Akron operates in strict compliance with cGMP and international standards, assisting healthcare institutions and researchers in developing advanced pharmaceuticals and innovative therapies.

Akron’s products, including cytokines, growth factors, cryopreservation solutions, and cell culture media supplements, are all compliant with cGMP standards. Additionally, the company offers services such as recombinant protein development, fill-finish, and final processing. Akron provides innovative solutions for drug development in the tissue engineering, cell therapy, and gene therapy industries, and is one of the fastest-growing, largest, and most renowned companies in the biomaterials sector.

Furthermore, Akron has established a cell and gene therapy development platform to support a comprehensive range of processes, including drug development, clinical trials, market authorization, and commercialization. The company’s mission is to provide customers with flexible, high-quality services.

Arcline, headquartered in San Francisco, USA, is a private equity firm. The company manages over $1.5 billion in assets, primarily investing in life sciences, industrial technology, and specialty chemicals. This July, Arcline invested in Dark Horse Consulting Group, which focuses on the cell and gene therapy sector, and has successively acquired Pride Engineering and Integrated Polymer Solutions.

Dark Horse Consulting Group is a globally leading consultancy specializing in the development of cell and gene therapy products. Following the completion of this acquisition, the company will work closely with Arcline, providing it with technical support and strategic guidance.

Arcline executives stated, “Akron specializes in providing biomaterials for clinical drug development and possesses advanced cell and gene therapy platforms. We are delighted to partner with them. This acquisition underscores Arcline’s encouragement and support for the regenerative medicine industry.”

Dr. Zylberberg stated, “The cell and gene therapy industry is rapidly evolving, with medical institutions and research institutes achieving significant advancements in the field of regenerative medicine. Currently, there is a sharp increase in demand for cGMP-grade biomaterials across various institutions. We are delighted to partner with Akron Biotechnology to jointly drive the development of the regenerative medicine industry and meet patients’ medical needs.”

(Compiled by Xu Xiaoxue)