KKR-backed Gamma takes stake in Univercells subsidiary

KKR has agreed to invest up to $50m in the division. The investment will be drawn from its Health Care Strategic Growth Fund.

The investment is intended to support continued expansion into the gene therapy segment, including new developments that will enable a range of products and services for viral manufacturing.

In November 2019, Gamma Biosciences Bidco was incorporated and acquired UK-based Astrea Bioseparations, formerly known as Prometic Bioseparations, for up to £90m. KKR and co-investors have committed to invest $200m in Gamma.

Matt Gunnison will join Gamma as a founding member, having most recently served as global head of business development for GE Healthcare.

Previous funding
Takeda Ventures led a €3m round for Univercells in 2015. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provided a $12m grant in 2016. In 2017, the company received €3m from an undisclosed investor.

The state-backed agency Walloon provided a grant of €2.4m in 2018 and, later that year, a number of investors including Korea Investment Partners, Inventures and the Global Health Investment Fund invested €16m in the company.

Company
Univercells develops manufacturing technologies, vaccines and biosimilars intended to reduce the cost and time required for bioproduction. The manufacturing equipment business includes the NevoLine biomanufacturing platform and the scale-X bioreactor portfolio. Based in Gosselies and founded in 2013, the company employs 150 people, according to LinkedIn.

People
KKR – Kugan Sathiyanandarajah (director, healthcare); Anuv Ratan (principal).
Gamma Biosciences – Matt Gunnison (founding member).
Univercells – Hugues Bultot (CEO).

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