XENIOS AG to Be Sold to Fresenius Medical Care

zfhn Zukunftsfonds Heilbronn, one of the largest private venture
capitalists in Germany, has sold medical technology company XENIOS AG to
Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA (Fresenius Medical Care). XENIOS AG
is an internationally active medical technology company focusing on the
treatment of lung and cardiac failure.
In 2008, zfhn took over Novalung GmbH, a manufacturer of artificial
lungs, and in 2010, it took over Medos Medizintechnik AG, a maker of
state-of-the-art blood pump systems, among other things. In 2013, both
companies were merged under one roof in the newly formed XENIOS AG with
now more than 260 employees. XENIOS provides innovative solutions for
cardiovascular system support during serious illnesses and operations.
XENIOS has established itself internationally with innovative systems
for minimally invasive lung and cardiac assistance. Continued growth is
assured based on its ongoing research and development activities. At the
beginning of the year, XENIOS AG invested in the Canadian specialist
firm XOR Labs in order to further expand its expertise in the field of
human lung transplantation.
“The long-term strategy of Zukunftsfonds Heilbronn continues to unfold.
With Fresenius Medical Care AG, we have succeeded in bringing a true
world market leader from the high-growth healthcare sector to
Heilbronn,” comments a pleased Thomas R. Villinger, CEO of zfhn.
Throughout the negotiations with numerous interested parties, zfhn
emphasized that the company’s Heilbronn site would be secured and
further expanded. “Our top objective is to use the activities of zfhn to
make Heilbronn a hub for many regional technology-focused companies. The
takeover of XENIOS AG by Fresenius Medical Care AG will ensure a strong
appeal for our region internationally and entice other innovative
companies from the medical technology segment to look at our region,”
continues Villinger. He announced that the profits from the sale would
go toward the zfhn fund assets in order to ensure additional
acquisitions that will expand the forward-looking location.
“Thanks to the longtime, professional support and guidance of zfhn in
growing XENIOS AG, we are now able to take the next major step. Under
the umbrella of Fresenius Medical Care AG, we will be able to continue
our international growth course, particularly in North America and
China, and open up new markets with innovative products. We are
confident that our know-how in the field of cardiovascular system
support will be a significant enrichment for the portfolio of Fresenius
Medical Care AG. Having the support of a major partner gives us the
ability to accelerate our growth course,” explains Dr. Georg Matheis,
chairman and founder of XENIOS AG.
By entering the treatment of heart and lung diseases (cardiac and
pulmonary diseases), Fresenius Medical Care intends to expand its
leading position in the area of extracorporeal organ support. Dominik
Wehner, the Management Board member who oversees the regions of Europe,
the Middle East and Africa at Fresenius Medical Care, said: “We are
acquiring an attractive company that makes a very reasonable addition to
our product range. We are looking forward to working with our new
colleagues. We will jointly focus on further growing the business on the
basis of our strong position and on tapping into new markets.”
Dr. Olaf Schermeier, the Management Board member who directs research
and development at Fresenius Medical Care, added: “Treating heart and
lung diseases with extracorporeal therapy systems is closely tied to
dialysis both in technological terms and in the clinical process. By
combining XENIOS AG’s innovative products and the experience of
Fresenius Medical Care especially in the acute area, we can put these
therapies into use on a broad-scale basis and achieve further progress
that will benefit patients.”
The sale of XENIOS AG is now the second successful transaction for zfhn
this year. In July, the specialized ventilation technology company AWS
Group AG was sold to a strategic investor. Presently, zfhn has a stake
in twelve companies. Some 70% of them are in the expansion phase,
approx. 20% are in the seed phase and 10% are in the startup phase. The
number of employees in all holding companies at the Heilbronn location
has doubled in the past four years to approximately 400. Counting all
employees in Germany and at international locations, the total number
reaches almost 1000.
The transaction is now subject to approval by the cartel authorities and
is expected to be completed by the end of 2016. The sale price of the
transaction was not disclosed.
Advisors:
M&A: Jefferies International
Limited
Legal: CMS Hasche Sigle Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten
und Steuerberatern mbB
Since it was founded in 2005, zfhn Zukunftsfonds Heilbronn has
been one of the largest venture capital funds in Germany. It assists
primarily young, innovative technology firms that are established in the
Heilbronn region or are ready to settle there in the short to medium
term. Zukunftsfonds is privately financed and holds hundreds of millions
of euros in owner’s equity. It supports companies with capital, know-how
and contacts in the Heilbronn economic region. Its objective is the
continued growth of Heilbronn as a successful technology site. This will
also include the setup and expansion of clusters (medtech, biotech,
cleantech) on a local level.
www.zf-hn.de
XENIOS is the therapy and technology leader in minimally invasive
lung and heart assist. XENIOS’ novalung iLA, i–cor, and medos devices
provide pulmonary and cardiac assist for a broad range of support levels
on the unique XENIOS platform. XENIOS’ novalung iLA therapy is an
adjunct or an alternative to injurious, immobilizing mechanical
ventilation. XENIOS i-cor therapy is a novel less invasive heart assist
therapy synchronized with the human heartbeat. These therapies enable
caregivers to keep lung failure patients awake, self-determined and
mobile while preventing ventilator-associated lung injury, pneumonia,
and breathing muscle damage.
www.xenios-ag.com
Fresenius Medical Care is the world’s largest provider of
products and services for individuals with renal diseases of which
around 2.8 million patients worldwide regularly undergo dialysis
treatment. Through its network of 3,579 dialysis clinics, Fresenius
Medical Care provides dialysis treatments for 306,366 patients around
the globe. Fresenius Medical Care is also the leading provider of
dialysis products such as dialysis machines or dialyzers. Along with the
core business, the company focuses on expanding the range of related
medical services in the field of Care Coordination. Fresenius Medical
Care is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FME) and on the New York
Stock Exchange (FMS).
www.freseniusmedicalcare.com