Governments, nonprofits and healthcare workers are trying to get as many people vaccinated against Covid-19 as possible. Private-equity portfolio companies have been involved in nearly every step of the process from drug development to vaccine transportation.
Certara
Biosimulation company Certara has been working on the frontlines of aiding in the drug development for Covid-19 vaccines. The EQT-backed company—which recently went public under the leadership of Chief Executive William Feehery—has to date worked on more than 30 Covid programs, including repurposed therapeutics, novel therapeutics and vaccines.
Pharmaceutical Product Development (PPD)
Global contract research organization PPD, backed by Carlyle Group and Hellman & Friedman, has created one of the largest vaccine site networks and contributed to Covid-19 vaccine trials including Moderna Inc.’s enrollment of 30,000 patients for its Phase III mRNA vaccine. As of September 2020, the business had helped enroll over 75,000 patients in Covid-19 vaccine trials.
Headlands Research
Backed by KKR & Co., the company is focused on improving the management of clinical trials. Headlands has conducted clinical trials for both the Moderna Inc. and Pfizer Inc. vaccine candidates at its research centers across the U.S. Specifically, the company recruits trial participants with pre-existing conditions and from diverse racial backgrounds, to ensure the vaccine was effective for all patients when it was approved. Historically, most vaccine trial participants tend to be healthier and disproportionately white compared with the general population.
Albany Molecular Research
Contract research, development and manufacturing provider Albany Molecular Research, which was acquired by Carlyle Group and GTCR in 2017, has been actively working with drug companies supplying the vaccine. Last year, it penned a supply agreement with AstraZeneca PLC to support the manufacture of its vaccine candidate. In February, AMRI announced it was chosen to support the development of lipid excipients for the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.
The company has been providing development, scale-up and manufacturing services at a number of its global research and development as well as production sites, showing flexibility and expertise to deliver lipid excipient supply, according to a news release by the company in February. The lipid excipient surrounds and protects the active ingredient in the vaccine.
Bomi Group
An Italy-based healthcare product transportation and logistics provider backed by healthcare-focused firm ArchiMed, Bomi Group so far has transported more than 25 million Covid-19 test swabs in Europe and Latin America and is gearing up to also distribute between 5 million and 8 million Covid-19 vaccines each month across both regions.
Cryoport
Cryoport, a publicly traded temperature controlled supply-chain company partially backed by Blackstone Group, is helping in the cryogenic storage and logistics of Covid-19 vaccine and treatment delivery. The business is supporting 29 separate clinical trials across its business units. Cryoport has a long history of storing and shipping sensitive cell and gene therapy products. A company it bought recently—with support from Blackstone—MVE Biological Solutions, has been used for Covid-19 vaccine storage. MVE manufacturers vacuum insulated products and cryogenic freezer systems.
I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche
IMA Group, a Bologna, Italy-based company acquired by BC Partners in a take-private deal earlier this year, supplied pharmaceutical companies and international government bodies with Covid-19 vaccine production lines and face-mask production machinery.
One Medical
Carlyle Group-backed One Medical, which trades under the name 1Life Healthcare Inc., is partnering with local health departments to provide Covid-19 vaccines in the communities it serves, according to the company’s website. It is providing people eligible for vaccination free access to its app and web services.
Lyft
Ride-sharing platform Lyft, which is backed by investors including KKR & Co., has partnered with Anthem Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., NAACP and United Way to help provide 60 million rides to and from vaccine appointments.
Source: Wall Street Journal
