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We advised local management on the MBO of the business from Serono Bioscience, a Swiss-based global biotechnology business.

Company background

Bourn Bioscience consists of two businesses – Bourn Hall Clinic, the world’s first in-vitro fertilisation clinic, and ‘LCG Bioscience’, offering clinical research and development services to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry.

Bourn Hall, the world’s first “test-tube baby” clinic, provides assisted conception services to private patients and the NHS. Bourn Hall is dedicated to providing the highest quality of fertility treatment and is committed to pioneering research in embryo development, implantation and embryonic stem cell lines.

LCG Bioscience provides exploratory early phase human clinical development services for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. LCG is a preferred supplier to three of the top ten blue-chip pharmaceutical companies worldwide.

What was special

This deal was completed in six weeks as Serono (the vendor) was itself up for sale and there was a chance that the new owners might block the MBO.

Deal structure

Debt finance was provided by Barclays Bank Plc, equity from management and vendor loan notes.