BRIEF—Blackstone to acquire a leading life sciences investment firm

New York, USA-headquartered private investment and advisory group Blackstone has agreed to acquire Clarus, a leading global life sciences investment firm that has raised $2.6 billion since its founding.

Clarus, with offices in the life sciences hubs of Boston and San Francisco, is focused on funding growth-stage investments, often in partnership with major biopharmaceutical companies through R&D collaborations.

These investments bring to market promising new medicines that improve patients’ lives.

Clarus is led by a team of seasoned experts who have invested in more than 50 companies in the biopharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostic sectors - as well as across multiple disease areas, primarily in the oncology space.

This acquisition, financial terms of which are not disclosed, launches Blackstone Life Sciences, an industry-leading private investment platform with capabilities to invest across the life-cycle of companies and products within the key life sciences sectors.

Blackstone Life Sciences will build on Clarus’ significant domain expertise and record of success, and Blackstone’s experience, operating platform and global scale, to jointly advance breakthrough products to address unmet medical needs.

Blackstone’s acquisition of Clarus is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2018.