Our Private Equity team has advised FairJourney Biologics founder and CEO, António Parada, on the sale of his stake in the company to Partners Group, one of the largest firms in the global private markets industry. His sale is alongside the rest of the management team and GHO Capital Partners (GHO), the European specialist investor in global healthcare.

Since its founding in 2012 in Porto, Portugal, by scientists António Parada and Maria Pajuelo, FairJourney has grown into one of the world's most pre-eminent antibody companies. Partnering with leading biopharma companies, FairJourney supports more than 250 clients across the globe. The company has discovered over 1,000 lead antibody candidates on behalf of pharmaceutical groups since inception, of which 14 disclosed antibody therapies are currently in active clinical development to treat unmet patient needs across oncology, immunology, and cardiovascular disease.

GHO partnered with FairJourney in 2020 and has supported the management team to transform the business, broadening its service offering and geographic footprint to better serve an international client base. This transformation included significant investment in a world class R&D facility in Porto, Portugal and the acquisition of Iontas in 2020, which added patented innovative antibody discovery technology and further R&D labs in Cambridge, UK. FairJourney's scientific excellence, relentless customer focus and end-to-end service offering uniquely position it to accelerate its clients' projects from idea to lead candidate, ready for regulatory submission and clinical trials.

FairJourney's continued growth is set to be supported by strong market tailwinds including higher R&D spending by the pharmaceutical industry, increased demand for efficiencies leading to greater need for outsourcing, the established track record of antibody-based therapies, and a favourable regulatory landscape.

The team was led by Partner Ian Piggin and Principal Associate Chelsie Taylor (Private Equity), with support from Partners Micky Yang (Corporate) and Samantha Holland (Insurance/W&I).

Ian Piggin said: "This is an exciting new chapter in the story for FairJourney Biologics and we are pleased to have played a role in facilitating this transaction that will support new investment and the company's long-term ambitions. Thank you to all the team that supported on this which required their knowledge and expertise in its delivery."

Our Private Equity team advises private equity and venture capital investors on a broad range of investments, acquisitions, reorganisations and exits in the mid-market and lower mid-market.