Blackstone Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire AYUMI Pharmaceutical

March 15, 2019 Off By BusinessWire

TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Blackstone (NYSE: BX) announced today that private equity funds managed
by Blackstone (“Blackstone”) have entered into a definitive agreement to
acquire AYUMI Pharmaceutical Corporation (“AYUMI” or “the Company”), a
leading specialty pharmaceutical company in Japan focused on
Anti-Rheumatism and Orthopedics, from Unison Capital, an independent
private equity firm based in Japan, and M3, Inc., a medical information
site business.

AYUMI was established in 2015 through the integration of Santen
Pharmaceutical’s (“Santen”) anti-rheumatic drug business and Showa
Yakuhin Kako’s (“Showa”) medical business including its analgesic
portfolio. The Company is one of the leading specialty pharmaceutical
platforms in Japan focused on the rheumatoid arthritis (“RA”) and
orthopedic therapeutic areas.

AYUMI’s flagship analgesic product, Calonal, is the market leading
prescription acetaminophen drug with strong brand awareness among
doctors, pharmacists, and patients in Japan. As a well-established
product in the market, Calonal is a leading prescription of choice among
physicians given its effective and safe treatment of chronic pain for
patients across numerous disease areas. Furthermore, AYUMI is a market
leader in the RA field, offering a comprehensive portfolio of
first-in-line treatments through synthetic and biosimilar products which
are prescribed to patients across all stages of RA diagnoses. AYUMI has
established itself as a leader in the rapidly growing Japanese
biosimilar market, which is expected to be an important and growing
treatment method that is both highly effective and economical for
patients and the national health insurance system.

Atsuhiko Sakamoto, Senior Managing Director and Head of Japan Private
Equity at Blackstone, commented: “We are delighted to announce our new
partnership with AYUMI. Under the leadership of its seasoned management
team, AYUMI has established a robust foundation as a leading specialty
pharmaceutical company in the field of rheumatism and orthopedics – with
world-class medical and scientific capabilities. We look forward to
working with the Company to leverage Blackstone’s global footprint and
expertise in this sector to help AYUMI meet the growing need for its RA
and orthopedic products, invest in new, cutting-edge treatments and
products, and continue supporting the Company’s mission of improving
patient health.”

Ouchi Hikaru, Representative Director, President and CEO of AYUMI,
commented: “It is a great honor to announce our new partnership with
Blackstone to further accelerate our growth. Although we have already
established a strong platform of growth in partnership with Unison
Capital, from orthopedic therapeutic areas to RA areas and further
through the new introduction of biosimilar products, we will need more
investment for future growth. We have great expectations for our new
shareholder in order to further enhance our presence in the Japanese
pharmaceutical industry and to continue providing drug treatments that
contribute to patients and to society.”

The acquisition would mark Blackstone’s first control private equity
investment in Japan. The transaction is expected to close in the second
quarter of 2019, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing
conditions.

About Blackstone

Blackstone is one of the world’s leading investment firms. We seek to
create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors,
the companies in which we invest, and the communities in which we work.
We do this by using extraordinary people and flexible capital to help
companies solve problems. Our asset management businesses, with $472
billion in assets under management, include investment vehicles focused
on infrastructure, private equity, real estate, public debt and equity,
non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a
global basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com.
Follow Blackstone on twitter @Blackstone.

About AYUMI Pharmaceutical

AYUMI is a leading specialty pharmaceutical company in Japan which
manufactures and sells a portfolio of drug products addressing
anti-rheumatism and orthopedic pain management. The Company was
established in 2015 through the integration of Santen’s anti-rheumatic
drug business and Showa’s medical business, and has a nationwide
footprint today. The Company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.