BC Partners takes majority stake in Pharmathen
Context
BC Partners reached an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Pharmathen, partnering with the company's founders who retain a minority shareholding and remain actively involved in the business. The investment thesis centres on leveraging Pharmathen's strong existing platform to pursue selective bolt-on acquisitions, accelerate new product development, and drive international expansion in the growing complex generics pharmaceutical sector. BC Partners intends to support Pharmathen in its ambition to transition from an established European champion into a global pharmaceutical player.
Pharmathen, which reported an EBITDA margin of [members only] in 2014, is valued in this transaction at an EV/EBITDA multiple of [members only], to compare with the average currently observed in the Healthcare & Pharma sector (14.3x in 2026).
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Target
Pharmathen is a leading European pharmaceutical and drug delivery technology company founded in 1969, specialising in the development and manufacturing of complex "sustained release" drug delivery technologies. The company is the global leader in complex long-acting injectables (LAI) and has established a long-acting therapeutic technologies (LATT) platform, positioning it at the forefront of one of the most technically demanding and high-barrier segments of the pharmaceutical industry. Pharmathen operates a highly differentiated business model combining best-in-class R&D capabilities with FDA-approved manufacturing facilities, serving a blue-chip customer base across nearly 100 countries worldwide.
Ent. Value
€300–700M
Equity Value
[members only]
Multiples
EV / Revenue
2x–6x
EV / EBITDA
[members only]
EV / EBIT
[members only]
Historical Financials (EUR)
Other operations with Pharmathen
| Date | Acquirer | Target | Country | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07/2021 | PARTNERS GROUP | PHARMATHEN | GREECE | CDMO |
Other operations with BC Partners
| Date | Acquirer | Target | Country | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07/2026 | BC PARTNERS | INFORLIFE | SWITZERLAND | CDMO |
| 03/2026 | BC PARTNERS | FORTIDIA | ITALY | Warehousing / 3PL |
| 07/2025 | BC PARTNERS | BIOGARAN | FRANCE | Pharma & Biotech |
| 06/2025 | BC PARTNERS | IGS GEBOJAGEMA | NETHERLANDS | Machine Tools |
| 02/2025 | BC PARTNERS | PETLAB | UNITED KINGDOM | Pet Care |
| 07/2022 | BC PARTNERS / BAIN CAPITAL | FEDRIGONI GROUP | ITALY | Labels & Adhesives |
| 06/2022 | BC PARTNERS | HAVEA | FRANCE | Hygiene & Beauty Brands |
| 08/2021 | BC PARTNERS / CPPIB (CANADA PENSION PLAN INVESTMENT BOARD) | CERAMTEC | GERMANY | Glass & Ceramics |
| 02/2021 | BC PARTNERS | IMA GROUP | ITALY | Robotics & Automation |
| 01/2020 | BC PARTNERS | PASTICCERIA BINDI | ITALY | Food Products |
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REFERENCES
Valuation range: EV €300–700M
Revenue range: €100–200M
EV/Revenue range: 2x - 6x
Note: This page provides detailed data on a private equity M&A transaction. Detailed and exact financial metrics for the acquisition of Pharmathen by BC Partners are reserved for mynth community members. Register for free to unlock full data.
Authors: This transaction was contributed by a verified mynth contributor and cross-checked against available transaction documents and official company communications.
Press release: view release
Acquirer: bc partners
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