EXSCIENTIA acquired by RECURSION PHARMACEUTICALS
Context
Recursion Pharmaceuticals has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Exscientia in an all-stock transaction. This strategic move aims to bring together two artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery specialists, creating a comprehensive platform that spans the entire process, from biology to computational chemistry. The deal is structured as a stock swap, where Recursion shareholders will hold the majority of the combined entity's capital, while Exscientia shareholders will receive a minority stake in the new company. The strategic rationale behind this merger is to combine complementary technological approaches, with Recursion focusing on large-scale biological analysis and Exscientia bringing advanced AI-driven molecular design expertise. The combined company will retain the Recursion name and benefit from a strengthened financial foundation, including significant cash reserves to support its operations for several years. The transaction is also expected to generate substantial synergies by leveraging shared technological platforms, data, and research capabilities, with the ambition of accelerating the discovery of new drug candidates and enhancing the overall efficiency of pharmaceutical development programs.
EXSCIENTIA, which reported an EBITDA margin of LOGIN in 2023, is valued in this transaction at an EV/EBITDA multiple of LOGIN, a level to compare with the average currently observed in the Healthcare & Pharma sector (14.8x).
Note that this data is based on contribution from our growing community, composed of M&A and Private Equity professionals, and has been verified by our team to ensure its accuracy.
-> Deep-dive in Healthcare & Pharma market trends
Target
Exscientia is a UK-based biotechnology company that specializes in AI-driven drug discovery. The company develops technological platforms that leverage algorithmic approaches to identify, design, and optimize novel therapeutic molecules, combining machine learning, predictive modeling, and medicinal chemistry expertise. By doing so, Exscientia aims to accelerate the initial stages of pharmaceutical research, which are traditionally time-consuming and costly, by enhancing the selection of promising drug candidates and reducing failure rates in development. The company focuses on key therapeutic areas such as oncology and immunology, collaborating with international pharmaceutical partners. It also has a pipeline of clinical-stage drug candidates emerging from its proprietary molecular design platform. As a pioneer in applying AI to drug discovery, Exscientia combines advanced computational capabilities with scientific expertise to optimize the identification of new therapeutic targets, streamlining the drug development process and improving patient outcomes.
Ent. Value
LOGIN
Equity Value
LOGIN
Multiples
EV / Revenue
LOGIN
EV / EBITDA
LOGIN
EV / EBIT
LOGIN
Historical Financials (GBP)
Similar deals in Healthcare & Pharma
| Date | Acquirer | Target | Country | Sector | Deal Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/2024 | BANSK GROUP | PETIQ | UNITED STATES | Life Sciences | Bansk Group completed the acquisition of 100% of PetIQ in an all-cash public-to-private transaction. PetIQ was delisted from Nasdaq upon closing and is now operated as a privately held company, with founder Cord Christensen continuing as CEO |
| 09/2024 | AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES | BIOVECTRA | CANADA | Life Sciences | Agilent Technologies has finalized the acquisition of BIOVECTRA, a move designed to fundamentally expand the group's contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) portfolio into fast-growing therapeutic modalities |
| 08/2024 | NORDSON CORPORATION | ATRION CORPORATION | UNITED STATES | Life Sciences | Nordson Corporation completed its acquisition of Atrion Corporation on August 21, 2024, following the definitive agreement announced on May 28, 2024. The strategic rationale is centered on portfolio expansion within Nordson Medical |
| 07/2024 | ROCHE | LUMIRADX | UNITED KINGDOM | Life Sciences | The acquisition of the point-of-care technology platform from the LumiraDx group marks a transformative technical reinforcement of the acquirer's diagnostic ecosystem. The strategic rationale for this transaction centers on a "decentralization" play, merging the target's innovative multi-assay hardware with the group’s vast global commercial and R&D infrastructure |
| 05/2024 | BRUKER | ELITECH GROUP | FRANCE | Life Sciences | The successful acquisition of ELITechGroup by Bruker Corporation marks a definitive tactical expansion of the group's microbiology and infection diagnostics portfolio. This transaction facilitates the integration of ELITech’s innovative sample-to-result molecular diagnostic systems with Bruker’s existing microbial identification capabilities |
| 05/2024 | GTCR | SURMODICS | UNITED STATES | Life Sciences | GTCR agreed to acquire Surmodics as a take-private acquisition, financed through committed equity from GTCR-affiliated funds and committed debt financing. The strategic rationale rests on Surmodics’ position as a specialized healthcare technology platform with recurring exposure to medical device coatings and in vitro diagnostics |
| 04/2024 | KÜHNE HOLDING | AENOVA GROUP | GERMANY | Life Sciences | Kühne Holding AG has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Aenova Group from the international investment firm BC Partners. In a move to ensure continuity and strategic alignment, funds advised by BC Partners will reinvest alongside Kühne Holding to maintain a minority position in the company |
| 03/2024 | ADVANCED MEDICAL SOLUTIONS GROUP | PÉTERS SURGICAL | FRANCE | Life Sciences | The acquisition of Peters Surgical by Advanced Medical Solutions Group plc is a strategic move to expand AMS's portfolio of surgical products and strengthen its presence in the global wound closure and tissue repair market |
| 01/2024 | MERCK & CO. | HARPOON THERAPEUTICS | UNITED STATES | Life Sciences | Merck has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the outstanding shares of Harpoon Therapeutics. Strategically, this acquisition allows Merck to further diversify its oncology pipeline by integrating Harpoon’s proprietary TriTAC and ProTriTAC T-cell engager platforms |
| 12/2023 | MARLE GROUP | NOWAK | FRANCE | Life Sciences | Marle Group has acquired Nowak from a consortium of private equity investors led by Siparex Midcap, alongside Bpifrance, Unexo, and the management team. This acquisition strengthens Marle's vertical integration by adding specialized casting capabilities |
REFERENCES
Revenue range: 10M - 30M GBP
EBITDA range: 0M - 5M GBP
Note: This page provides detailed data on a private equity M&A transaction. Detailed and exact financial metrics for the acquisition of EXSCIENTIA by RECURSION PHARMACEUTICALS are reserved for mynth community members. Register for free to unlock full data.
Authors: verified mynth contributor (mynth data is contributed by M&A / PE professionals and systematically cross-verified with private deal documents and official press releases).
Acquirer: recursion pharmaceuticals