Warburg Pumps $210 Million Into Medical Devices Major Meril

Leading global growth investor Warburg Pincus has agreed to pick up a minority stake for USD 210 million (about Rs 1,575 crore) in Micro Life Sciences, the parent firm of the Meril Group, which is the largest medical devices firm in the country.

Warburg said the transaction, awaiting CCI approval, will be carried out through its affiliate South Elm Investments. Founded by the Bilakhia family, Meril is a fast-growing medical devices firm that designs, manufactures and distributes clinically relevant and state-of-the-art medical devices. With R&D facilities, manufacturing capability, distribution reach, Meril has market leading position across several categories.

Narendra Ostawal of Warburg Pincus India said he is excited by Meril's compelling growth story and believes it stands to benefit from the secular tailwinds of healthcare in the country. Sanjeev Bhatt of Meril said this investment establishes high degree of credibility to the domestic medical devices in the global landscape and will help them deepen their international presence, attract global talent, and scale up clinical research efforts.

Meril offers a diversified product portfolio with over 100 technologies in five therapy areas - cardiovascular including structural heart devices, orthopedic implants, endo-surgery, surgical robotics and in-vitro diagnostics. It employs over 4,000 employees and has business in over 100 countries and has subsidiaries in the US, Germany, Brazil, Russia, South Africa, Bangladesh, Turkey, China and Japan.

Warburg has over USD 73 billion in private equity assets under management across a portfolio of over 235 companies. Since its founding in 1966 in New York, Warburg has raised 20 private equity funds and two real estate funds, which have invested over USD 100 billion in over 1,000 companies across 40 countries.

(PTI)