NUVISAN and ALS Limited sign strategic partnership to open new markets

• NUVISAN has signed an agreement with ALS Limited (ASX: ALQ) as a strategic investor
• The global testing specialist headquartered in Brisbane, Australia is supporting NUVISAN’s expansion strategy with its worldwide network
• ALS Limited is acquiring a 49% stake in the NUVISAN Group to expand its life sciences portfolio
• NUVISAN becomes the Centre of Excellence for innovation and technology development for the entire ALS Life Sciences network

Neu-Ulm | Brisbane, 28 July 2021

After a series of successful acquisitions, including the recent takeover of an entire drug discovery research unit in Berlin, NUVISAN has enjoyed a very successful 2020. The NUVISAN Group, which employs 1000+ people at seven locations across Europe, including 450 highly specialised scientists at its Innovation Campus Berlin (ICB), generated €185 million in overall revenue between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021 with an EBITDA margin exceeding 20%.

The NUVISAN Group, which is both a contract research organisation (CRO) and contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), offers integrated solutions along the entire value chain for drug research and development, ranging from target identification to proof of concept in patients, with all supporting services. As the Centre of Excellence for the ALS Life Sciences network, NUVISAN is positioning itself as a unique partner for biotech, venture capital and big pharma clients.

Dr Dietrich Bruchmann, owner and CEO of the NUVISAN Group, says: “I’m delighted we’ve found a strategic investor with ALS Limited, with whom we can achieve a real win-win situation. Our new partner from Australia will gain access to new business areas and the European core markets. Thanks to ALS Limited’s worldwide network, our NUVISAN Group now has the opportunity to win projects and customers in new markets such as the USA, Asia and Australia. This will allow us to accelerate our growth towards achieving our ambition of becoming one of the ´big players´ in our industry.”

Raj Naran, Managing Director and CEO of ALS Limited, commented: “Investing in 49% of NUVISAN represents a significant expansion of our Life Sciences capability, as we expand our presence in strategically important pharmaceutical markets. This will allow us to move our service offering up the supply chain into drug development testing, which significantly expands our addressable markets. NUVISAN offers us a platform in the key markets of
Germany and France, which has long been an aspiration for our Life Sciences division. This is an important and highly strategic investment for us.”

The NUVISAN Group’s new, joint advisory board will include NUVISAN’s current management and representatives from ALS Limited. The NUVISAN Group’s headquarters will remain in Neu-Ulm. NUVISAN will become the Centre of Excellence for innovation and technology development for the entire ALS Life Sciences network.
ALS Limited’s participation supports the strong growth of the NUVISAN Group, secures NUVISAN’s highly specialised jobs in the long term and provides the basis for further personnel growth.

THE NUVISAN GROUP

The NUVISAN Group, which is a contract research organisation (CRO) headquartered in Neu-Ulm, operates seven sites across Germany and France. NUVISAN offers integrated and coupled services and solutions along the entire value chain for drug research and development, ranging from target identification to the patient, with all supporting services. Its proven track record spanning more than 40 years of continuous service is a testament to both the operational excellence and experience of its 1,000+ highly qualified employees.

ALS Limited

ALS Limited (ASX: ALQ) is a global leader in the testing, inspection and certification industry, operating from over 360 sites worldwide with 15,000 employees. Providing services to governments, multi-national companies, manufacturers, retailers, consultants and mining companies across the world, ALS Limited processes more than 40 million samples per year and is one of the largest TIC companies in the world. In recent years, ALS Limited has built upon its expertise and market-leading position in the commodities and environmental sector, and has expanded its capabilities in the food and pharmaceutical markets.