CatSci Ltd (“CatSci), an award-winning innovation partner for medicines development, announces the acquisition of Reach Separations, a specialist chromatography provider for the analysis and purification of therapeutics. The acquisition was supported by Keensight Capital (“Keensight”), one of the leading private equity managers dedicated to pan-European Growth Buyout

Headquartered in the United Kingdom, and with laboratories in both the UK and France, Reach Separations specialises in chromatography for the analysis and purification of chiral and achiral therapeutics. With its differentiated analytical offering and its highly skilled workforce, Reach is the go-to partner for delivering purification projects from discovery chromatography through to large scale SFC (Supercritical Fluid Chromatography) for chiral purification and impurity isolation.

The acquisition of Reach will enable CatSci to offer its global customers access to holistic chromatographic services that will aid them from discovery through to manufacture, catering to full asset development or standalone projects. This enhanced separation science offering will provide the highest quality analysis for small molecules, oligonucleotides and other complex synthetic medicines.

Reach’s state-of-the-art SFC and HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) instrumentation provides a range of screening options and problem-solving capabilities, further supporting the combined company’s customer base. This acquisition marks a significant milestone in CatSci’s growth strategy as the company continues to enhance its CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls) capabilities to add strategic value to their partnerships with customers.

Dr Ross Burn, CEO at CatSci, commented: “’We are excited to welcome Reach Separations into the CatSci Group. The need for solving complex analytical problems while meeting the ever-evolving regulatory demands is growing alongside the development of new modalities, such as oligonucleotides, TACs (Targeting Chimeras), and glues. Joining forces with Reach gives our customers access to end-to-end coverage of the analytical development lifecycle, taking them from discovery through to GMP manufacture, and ultimately enabling them to help patients in need.’’

Peter Ridgway, Business Development Director at Reach Separations, added: “Becoming part of the CatSci Group will enhance and strengthen Reach Separations’ ability to deliver excellence in chromatography. Integrating our technologies and expertise across the discovery and development landscape will provide a one-stop-shop for analysis and purification, giving the client a variety of options to progress the journey of their asset. As one of the founders of Reach Separations, I am delighted to join forces with CatSci to deliver strong growth and expand separation science into new marketplaces.”

James Mitchell, Partner at Keensight Capital, concluded: “We are delighted that Reach Separations has joined the CatSci Group and look forward to continuing to support the company in this next phase of their growth. Having identified CatSci as a company with exceptional potential, unique positioning and strong expertise in the small molecule R&D, we believe that the addition of Reach’s differentiated offering, analytical capabilities and strong employee base will ensure that the combined company is well positioned for future growth in this space.”

The acquisition is effective immediately, and both companies will work closely to ensure a seamless transition for all customers and stakeholders.

[1] Growth Buyout: investment in profitable, private companies experiencing strong growth, in minority or majority positions, with or without leverage, using a flexible approach tailored to the needs of individual entrepreneurs, in order to finance organic growth projects, acquisition strategies or provide historic shareholders with liquidity.