Abingworth: Transatlantic Life Sciences Investment Firm Closes $356 Million

By Amit Chowdhry • Oct 31, 2023

Abingworth – a leading international life sciences investment group, part of global investment firm Carlyle – recently announced the final closing of its new Clinical Co-Development Co-Investment Fund at $356 million. Abingworth Clinical Co-Development Co-Investment Fund (CCD-CIF) was significantly oversubscribed, exceeding a target of $300 million.

Along with the Abingworth Clinical Co-Development Fund 2 (ACCD 2), a fund of $583 million, Abingworth raised over $930 million in new funds since 2021 to invest in the development of late-stage clinical programs from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in the US, UK, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, and create innovative therapeutics with the potential to improve human health significantly.

The company pioneered the clinical co-development (CCD) investment strategy in 2009, investing initially via its venture funds and then through its first dedicated fund, Abingworth Clinical Co-Development Fund (ACCD 1), which launched in 2016, raising $109 million. And to date, Abingworth has made 14 investments in CCD opportunities, working with partners such as AstraZeneca, Eisai, Apellis, and Pfizer.

Across all strategies – venture, growth, and clinical co-development – Abingworth invested in over 185 life sciences companies over the last 50 years. And its portfolio companies have completed over 30 FDA approvals in the past ten years.

CCD-CIF has received support from Abingworth’s existing investor base and welcomed new investors from the US and Europe.

KEY QUOTES:

“Our clinical co-development approach has proved to be a great success as an alternative investment strategy since we pioneered the concept more than a decade ago, in terms of gaining new product approvals, getting new medicines to patients, and generating returns for investors. Our CCD program creates bespoke investment and operational solutions that enable resource-constrained pharma companies to pursue additional clinical projects and biotech companies to avoid near-term equity dilution.” 

— Bali Muralidhar, Managing Partner, Chief Investment Officer & COO

“We are delighted to announce this new Clinical Co-Development Co-Investment Fund that, combined with Abingworth Bioventures 8 and ACCD 2, brings new funds closed by Abingworth to over $1.4 billion since 2020.” 

— Kurt von Emster, Managing Partner & Head of Abingworth Life Sciences