Thermo Fisher Scientific to Acquire Brammer Bio for $1.7 Billion to Expand Gene Therapy CDMO Capabilities

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned that Thermo Fisher Scientific will acquire biotechnology company Brammer Bio for approximately $1.7 billion.

This acquisition will strengthen Thermo Fisher Scientific’s pharmaceutical services capabilities in the field of gene therapy. Expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2019, the transaction will integrate Brammer Bio into Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Laboratory Products and Services segment, where it will continue to provide pharmaceutical services within the biopharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.

Thermo Fisher Scientific, founded in 1956 and headquartered in Massachusetts, USA, is a global leader in scientific services and the instrumentation industry. Committed to helping customers make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer, its primary clientele includes pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, hospitals and clinical diagnostic laboratories, universities and research institutes, government agencies, as well as manufacturers of environmental and industrial process control equipment. The company owns more than 100 brands, with major ones in China including the former Orion, Dionex, Eutech, Finnpipette, Finnigan mass spectrometry, Nicolet infrared spectroscopy, and Elemental atomic spectroscopy.

Brammer Bio, established in 2015 and headquartered in Florida, USA, is an experienced contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) dedicated to providing outsourced research and pharmaceutical services to companies developing cell and gene therapies. Its integrated services encompass drug discovery and preparation, process and analytical development, warehousing and distribution, product registration and validation, and commercial-scale manufacturing.

Brammer Bio specializes in the clinical and commercial development of autologous and allogeneic cell therapies, as well as viral vector products for in vivo and ex vivo therapeutic applications. With a team of over 500 professionals managing more than 100 client projects, the company helps clients translate technological achievements into commercial products and accelerate time-to-market. The company is projected to generate $250 million in revenue in 2019.

“The acquisition of Brammer Bio will expand Thermo Fisher Scientific’s pharmaceutical services business, further strengthening our ability to serve customers in the biopharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors,” said Marc N. Casper, President and Chief Executive Officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific. “In recent years, our customers have increasingly focused on the field of gene therapy, particularly on the potential of using gene therapies to treat genetic diseases. Combining Brammer Bio’s viral vector capabilities with our GMP manufacturing expertise, as well as our proprietary bioprocessing and cell culture technologies, can help our customers drive the rapid growth of the gene therapy market.”

“Brammer Bio is a pioneer in the development and manufacturing of viral vector platforms, enabling first-in-human gene therapy clinical trials for our clients. Joining Thermo Fisher Scientific will elevate our business to a new level,” said Mark Bamf, President and Chief Executive Officer of Brammer Bio.

(Compiled by Jiao Yanli)