Medical comms firm makes third acquisition in just over 12 months
Macclesfield-based Bioscript has acquired Cheshire’s Meridian HealthComms, for an undisclosed sum.
Bioscript is a global provider of medical communications and regulatory writing services for pharmaceutical companies.
The deal is its third since being backed in March last year by Sovereign Capital Partners, when it acquired London-based Fortis Pharma Consulting, a specialist medical affairs services provider, and Valid Insight, a specialist market access consultancy.
Bioscript includes more than 220 dedicated experts in healthcare communications globally with a focus on scientific and writing excellence, expert engagement, events management, strategic planning, and patient access consulting, for pharmaceutical and biotech companies.
Meridian HealthComms, founded in 2004 and based in Plumley, Cheshire, together with a Manchester office, has built enduring partnerships with its pharmaceutical company and biotech clients through its strength in scientific and clinical communications, strategic planning and brand management.
The acquisition enables the enhanced group to provide its clients with extended support across integrated medical communication programmes from very early clinical development through to market access communications.
Sovereign managing partner, Dominic Dalli, said: “Bioscript has delivered superb growth in a short period of time. This is a testimony to the strength of the management team and the quality of the businesses that have joined the group.
“Meridian is a well respected and established firm and we are proud to partner the business as we continue to look for new opportunities to support strategic growth both in the UK and internationally.”
Andrew Medley, founder and CEO of Bioscript Group, said: “Our sector is seeing huge growth and we want to be the healthcare communications agency of choice for our clients and for our employees.
“Meridian joining our group means we can continue to build our skills, capabilities services, as well as quickly widening the pool of clients we work with. Joining with other companies is part of our five-year plan for growth.”
He added: “With Sovereign’s support, we continue to think about the exciting possibilities and places we can take the Bioscript Group and our people. We are better placed than ever to provide specialist scientific and strategic expertise that supports our clients in delivering advances in patient care.”
Dave Andrews, managing director of Meridian, said: “Combined with greater medical communications resources, our clients now have access to a broader scope of expertise across regulatory writing, value comms and market access to allow integrated communications support throughout the product lifecycle.”
Advisors on the deal for Sovereign include, debt to support the transaction – Kartesia (Nick Holman, Karan Patole), legal due diligence and legals – Eversheds (Lizzy Tindall, James Finney, Catherine Jones), commercial diligence – LEK Consulting (Sej Brar), financial and tax due diligence – PwC (Simon White, Sally Graham, Monica Munteanu), tax structuring – Alvarez & Marsal (Dafydd Williams, Hugo Keane, Benoit Chan Sui Ko), and insurance diligence – Vista (Peter Warburton, Jamie Oliver).
