Clifford Chance has advised Viking Global Investors, a global investment firm based in the United States, in acquiring a significant minority stake in Humaneva Inc., a spin-off of NEUCA S.A. Viking has also been granted a one-year option to increase its stake rateably in Humaneva. Humaneva is a provider of clinical trial solutions globally.
Viking's investment in Humaneva contributes to Humaneva's long-term growth strategy, which is aimed at increased expansion in the United States and APAC and Viking will partner with the NEUCA Group, a healthcare company listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange on that journey.
Clifford Chance Private Equity partners Neil Barlow and Carla Ruggero led the Clifford Chance team based in the US and Europe. They were assisted by associates Jack Weymer, Mark Sheehy and Sam Clinton-Davis, and law clerk Aljawharah Alsadoon.
The wider multi-practice team included:
- Corporate M&A: partner Wojciech Polz, counsel Tomasz Derda, Krzysztof Hajdamowicz, Tomasz Szymura, legal advisor Walkowicz; associates Alessia Saracino and Minji Shin
- Antitrust: partners Brian Conklin, Luciano Di Via and Dimitri Slobodenjuk; counsel Lauren Rackow and Ulrich A. Pfeffer; lawyers Maria Bazzini, Luca Borin, Alessandra Oliva; associates Santiago Roca Arribas, Kaia Pankey and Ross Mitchell Jablon; legal advisor Marta Michalek-Gervais
- Public company: partner José Luis Zamarro, associate Octavio Canseco
- Tax: partner James Gouwar
- Employment and Incentives: partner Paul Koppel, senior associate Laura Conway, associates David Walsh, lawyer Martyna Proczek
- Regulatory: partner Megan Gordon and associates Holly Bauer and Martina Kneifel
"We're extremely proud to have supported Viking close this transaction which is a significant deal that brings major private equity investment into clinical research. The planned geographical expansion and new initiatives are aimed at advancing improvements in the application of clinical treatment, which is clearly an important factor in delivering best-in-class healthcare solutions to people," said Barlow.