DORDA advises the leading Nordic contract research organization Scantox Denmark ApS on the envisaged acquisition of QPS Austria GmbH (neuropharmacology division).
QPS Austria is a leading drug discovery contract research organization (CRO) focusing on neurodegenerative, rare diseases and mental disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, dementia, autism and schizophrenia. Founded in 1999 in Grambach, Austria, the neuropharmacology division of QPS Austria ("QPS Neuro") employs over 80 highly qualified employees.
Scantox was founded in 1977 and focuses on contract research in pharmacology and regulatory toxicology. The company is headquartered in Denmark and is majority-owned by Impilo, a leading Nordic healthcare investment company.
The acquisition of QPS Neuro will expand Scantox’s value chain coverage and reposition its existing drug discovery platform. QPS Austria will act as an integral part of the Scantox Group to optimize synergies in the field of neuropharmacology. The synergies between both companies will create a strong group with over 300 employees across six sites. The transaction is still subject to closing.
The experienced DORDA M&A team was led by Andreas Mayr (Partner, M&A) and Patricia Backhausen (Principal Associate, M&A, and Co-Head of DORDA's Digital Industries Group) and was supported, in particular, by Isabel Maurer and Philipp Fedan (both Associates, M&A) as well as Christoph Brogyányi (Partner, Corporate Law), Francine Brogyányi (Partner, Health & Life Science) and Florina Thenmayer (Principal Associate, Employment Law).
Andreas Mayr and Patricia Backhausen: "The acquisition of QPS Austria will be a milestone for Scantox in expanding its pioneering role in the pharmacology research sector. We are proud to accompany Scantox in this strategic step."
The DORDA team also included Stefan Artner (Partner, Real Estate), Magdalena Brandstetter (Partner, Real Estate), Martin Brodey (Partner and Co-Head M&A), Heinrich Kühnert (Partner, Außenwirtschaftsrecht & Kartellrecht), Bernhard Müller (Partner, Public Law), Tibor Varga (Partner, Banking & Finance), Nino Tlapak (Partner, Data Protection & IT), Clemens Burian-Kerbl (Counsel, Corporate Law), Magdalena Nitsche (Principal Associate, Insurance Law), Alexandra Ciarnau (Principal Associate, Data Protection & IT), Stanislav Nekrasov (Principal Associate, Tax Law), Safiye Ünüvar (Principal Associate, Banking & Finance), Elena Lanmüller (Associate, Health & Life Science), Petra Artner (Associate, Public Law), Diane Steindl (Associate, Real Estate), Laura Colloredo-Mannsfeld (Associate, Health & Life Science), Sarah Gruber (Associate, Insurance Law), Thomas Krappinger (Associate, Data Protection & IT), Aleksandra Hübl-Langer (Associate, M&A), Valentina Possegger (Associate, Employment Law), Mona Abou-Halima (Associate, Banking & Finance) and Katja Ausweger (Associate, M&A).