Harris Williams Advises The CM Group on its Pending Sale to OPEN Health

Harris Williams, a global investment bank specializing in M&A advisory services, announces it is advising The CM Group, a portfolio company of NaviMed Capital (NaviMed), on its pending sale to OPEN Health, a portfolio company of Astorg. The CM Group is a leading medical communications platform offering a set of integrated solutions to the U.S. domestic biotech and pharma industries. The transaction is being led by Paul Hepper, Nick Owens, Lucas Scholl, Rob Crampton and Gabby Struckell of the Harris Williams Healthcare & Life Sciences (HCLS) Group.

“Investor interest in outsourced pharma commercialization services is driven by complex therapies becoming an increasing portion of new drug launches, declining access to physicians, and the increasing importance of directly reaching patient populations. Differentiated platforms such as The CM Group are benefiting disproportionally from these trends,” said Paul Hepper, a managing director at Harris Williams.

“The combination of OPEN Health and The CM Group brings together two best-in-class commercialization businesses, with stellar reputations in the industry and an exciting opportunity to service leading pharmaceutical companies globally,” said Nick Owens, a director at Harris Williams.

“Harris Williams was a phenomenal partner and exceeded our expectations throughout the transaction. The team’s knowledge of the sector and extensive buyer relationships led to an optimal outcome. We look forward to the next phase of growth with the OPEN Health and Astorg teams and are excited about building a global leader in pharma commercialization,” said Daniel Leonard, CEO of The CM Group.

Grounded in science—and powered by the patient voice—The CM Group is an integrated healthcare agency of innovative and imaginative subject-matter experts dedicated to providing scientific and commercialization strategies and services to the life sciences industry.

NaviMed is a Washington, D.C.-based private capital firm with over $400 million of assets under management, focused exclusively on the healthcare industry. NaviMed invests in fast-growing lower-middle market healthcare businesses that it believes are poised to benefit from the reform and technology innovation reshaping the healthcare industry. The firm focuses on healthcare services, healthcare IT, hospital products and pharmaceutical services businesses. NaviMed targets profitable private companies with up to $10 million of EBITDA and double-digit revenue growth. NaviMed’s senior investment team has a track record of value creation spanning, in the aggregate, dozens of investments and more than $11 billion of enterprise value created over the course of their combined careers.

OPEN Health brings together deep scientific knowledge, global understanding, and broad specialist expertise to support its clients in improving health outcomes and patient wellbeing. OPEN Health is united as one flexible organization, harnessing the power of the collective to solve complex challenges.

Astorg is a European private equity firm with over €17 billion of assets under management. Astorg works with entrepreneurs and management teams to acquire market leading global companies headquartered in Europe or the U.S., providing them with the strategic guidance, governance and capital they need to achieve their growth plans. Enjoying a distinct entrepreneurial culture, a long-term shareholder perspective and a lean decision-making body, Astorg has valuable industry expertise in healthcare, software, technology, business services and technology-based industrial companies. Astorg has offices in London; Paris; New York; Frankfurt, Germany; Milan; and Luxembourg.

Harris Williams, an investment bank specializing in M&A advisory services, advocates for sellers and buyers of companies worldwide through critical milestones and provides thoughtful advice during the lives of their businesses. By collaborating as one firm across Industry Groups and geographies, the firm helps its clients achieve outcomes that support their objectives and strategically create value. Harris Williams is committed to execution excellence and to building enduring, valued relationships that are based on mutual trust. Harris Williams is a subsidiary of the PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC).

The Harris Williams HCLS Group has experience across a broad range of sectors, including healthcare providers; payors and payor services; outsourced pharmaceutical services; medical device supply chain; healthcare IT; and pharmacy. For more information on the HCLS Group and other recent transactions, visit the HCLS Group’s section of the Harris Williams website.

Harris Williams LLC is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Harris Williams & Co. Ltd is a private limited company incorporated under English law with its registered office at 8th Floor, 20 Farringdon Street, London EC4A 4AB, UK, registered with the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales (registration number 07078852). Harris Williams & Co. Ltd is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Harris Williams & Co. Corporate Finance Advisors GmbH is registered in the commercial register of the local court of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, under HRB 107540. The registered address is Bockenheimer Landstrasse 33-35, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany (email address: hwgermany@harriswilliams.com). Geschäftsführer/Directors: Jeffery H. Perkins, Paul Poggi. (VAT No. DE321666994). Harris Williams is a trade name under which Harris Williams LLC, Harris Williams & Co. Ltd and Harris Williams & Co. Corporate Finance Advisors GmbH conduct business.

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