News

Darby Private Equity has made an investment in Biopas, a Latin American specialty pharmaceutical distribution company. No financial terms were disclosed.

PRESS RELEASE

Panama City, Panama and Washington, DC, February 12, 2019 – Darby Private Equity (“Darby”), a private equity arm of Franklin Templeton, today announced that Darby Latin American Private Debt Fund III, L.P. (“DLAPDF III”) completed an investment in Pharma Consulting Group, S.A. (known as “Biopas”), a specialty pharmaceutical distribution company focused on in-licensing, selling and marketing innovative prescription pharmaceutical products, cosmetics and medical devices. Transaction details were not disclosed.

Since Biopas was founded in 2002, it has expanded into 13 Latin American countries. The company’s primary market is Colombia, and it also has a strong presence in Peru, Ecuador, Chile and Argentina. Biopas is headquartered in Panama and operates in five main business units: Immunology, Rare Diseases, Central Nervous Systems and Oncology, Specialty Care, and Dermatology.

Pascal Forget, Biopas Co-founder and CEO, highlighted that “Darby’s investment will allow us to solidify Biopas as a key regional player in the healthcare industry, maintaining a clear leadership position in the countries where we operate and expanding into other key markets in the region. The investment we received will help the company achieve sustainable growth, while continuing to provide the full range of products currently in our portfolio, as well as introduce new lifechanging medicines to Latin America.”

“We are excited to partner with Biopas, a leading pharmaceutical company that is focused on transforming the lives of patients in Latin America. This transaction aligns with Darby’s commitment to investing in Latin American companies with strong management and a successful track record,” commented Ignacio Aicardi, Managing Director at Darby.

The investment in Biopas adds to Darby’s long history of successful investments in Latin America. Darby has played a pioneering role in bringing private equity and private debt investments to emerging market regions.

Pharma Consulting Group, S.A.
Established in 2002, Biopas is a leading Latin American pharmaceutical company that focuses on carving out strong market positions for exclusive products, in order to meet the critical needs of patients. Biopas operates in 13 Latin American countries and commercializes a unique portfolio of leading products in categories such as: Immunology, Rare Diseases, Central Nervous Systems, Oncology, Specialty Care, and Dermatology. Throughout its history, Biopas has achieved steady and outstanding annual revenue growth and product portfolio expansion. For additional information, please visit www.biopasgroup.com.

About Darby Private Equity
Darby Overseas Investments, Ltd. was founded in 1994 by The Honorable Nicholas F. Brady, who served as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury between 1988 and 1993. Richard Frank joined the firm as CEO in 1997 after his career at the International Finance Corporation (IFC)/World Bank. In 2003, Darby became a fully owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. Darby has business lines in private equity, private debt and infrastructure fund management in Latin America, Asia, and Central and Eastern Europe, with a total of $6.5 billion raised in 24 years. For more information, please visit darbyoverseas.com.

Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN] is a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton. Franklin Templeton’s goal is to deliver better outcomes by providing global and domestic investment management to retail, institutional and sovereign wealth clients in over 170 countries. Through specialized teams, the Company has expertise across all asset classes, including equity, fixed income, alternatives and custom multi-asset solutions. The Company’s more than 600 investment professionals are supported by its integrated, worldwide team of risk management professionals and global trading desk network. With employees in over 30 countries, the California-based company has more than 70 years of investment experience and over US$678 billion in assets under management as of January 31, 2018. For more information, please visit franklinresources.com.