Esperion Therapeutics has agreed to be acquired by healthcare-focused investment firm ARCHIMED in a deal valued at up to approximately $1.1 billion in total equity value. Under the agreement, Esperion shareholders will receive $3.16 per share in cash at closing, representing a 58% premium to the 30 April closing price, plus rights to up to $100 million in aggregate contingent milestone payments. The milestone payments are tied to future net sales performance of products containing bempedoic acid and bumetanide through 2030. Esperion's board has unanimously approved the transaction, which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals. Following completion, Esperion will become privately held and delist from Nasdaq. Pharmakon Advisors will provide debt financing for the transaction.

ARCHIMED Diagnostics, along with minority investor La Caisse, acquires Stago, a global leader in blood coagulation analysis. PR Newswire Today at 5:34am PDT - Working with Stago management, ARCHIMED aims to expand sales and profits by building on gold-standard products in both developed and developing nations MONTRÉAL, April 29, 2026 /CNW/ - ARCHIMED Diagnostics - the Diagnostics team of global private equity healthcare specialist ARCHIMED - has purchased alongside global investment group La Caisse (formerly CDPQ), Stago, a world leader for the analysis of blood coagulation issues (hemostasis). Stago develops and manufactures hemostasis equipment and reagents. It has unique expertise and a track record of innovation in this specialty. Stago is held through ARCHIMED's MED Platform II fund and was purchased from the founding Viret family by the Diagnostics team through an unspecified mix of equity and unitranche debt. Stago sells its products in 115 countries and posted revenues of €550 million in 2025. Based in Asnières-sur-Seine (greater Paris), Stago was founded in 1945 and is the only pure-play hemostasis analysis company in the world. Stago's leadership team is taking a minority stake as part of the deal. "In addition to financial muscle, ARCHIMED and La Caisse have the operational sophistication and discretion to help us grow at a pivotal moment in our company's history," says incumbent Stago CEO Jean-Claude Piel, who retires from his post, becoming Chief of the Scientific and Technology Monitoring Committee. "ARCHIMED's diagnostics expertise is key for accelerating the efficient rollout of a major, new generation of Stago products," says Philippe Barroux, Stago's CEO-elect. Barroux, a 38-year Stago veteran, is currently CEO of operations in North America and China. "This partnership is all about reigniting innovation at Stago." ARCHIMED has made a total of eight diagnostics acquisitions, exiting two: Diesse, which became a pioneer in the development of cutting-edge systems for diagnosing inflammatory diseases and immune disorders in partnership with ARCHIMED; and Eurolyser, a point-of-care testing specialist, which saw profits rise more than two-fold and sales growth accelerate from the high single-digits to 25 percent annually during three years of ARCHIMED ownership. "Our aim is to provide Stago with the resources it needs to accelerate global growth and to reinforce its leading position as a pure player with unrivalled expertise," says ARCHIMED Managing Partner Vincent Guillaumot. "Stago has a pipeline of innovative products that should allow its revenues and profits to grow well above industry averages," adds ARCHIMED Partner Antoine Faguer. "Stago is a recognized leader in blood coagulation analysis, operating in a segment we know well, and serving a mission-critical role in medical diagnostics. Our investment alongside ARCHIMED reflects the value we place on partnerships and businesses with strong fundamentals," said Martin Longchamps, Executive Vice-President and Head of Private Equity and Private Credit at La Caisse. Working closely with Stago management, ARCHIMED will deploy its MedValue template - ARCHIMED's levers for accelerating the growth of partnering companies via internationalization (often including bolt-on acquisitions), innovation and product range expansion. Diagnostics is a primary investment sector for ARCHIMED, and one of the seven major sectors mapped through ARCHIMED's MedSeg, its proprietary sector analysis tool covering 430 sub-segments of the global health industry. For the acquisition of Stago, ARCHIMED also deployed MedDiscover, a proprietary set of tools and processes permitting ARCHIMED to identify and effectively engage with leading companies operating in ARCHIMED's prioritized sub-sectors. Stago is MED Platform II's 10th investment. All of MED Platform II's investments have been first-time leveraged buyouts for the companies acquired. MED Platform II, more than two times oversubscribed, closed on €3.5 billion in June, 2023. According to Preqin data, the fund is a top quartile performer for its vintage year as are all ARCHIMED funds. After the Stago transaction, MED Platform II is some 70 percent invested. ABOUT ARCHIMED www.archimed.group - With offices in Europe, North America and Asia, ARCHIMED is a leading investment firm focused exclusively on healthcare industries. Its mix of operational, medical, scientific and financial expertise allows ARCHIMED to serve as both a strategic and financial partner to healthcare businesses. Prioritized areas of focus include Animal & Environmental Health, Biopharma Products, Consumer Health, Diagnostics, Healthcare IT, Life Science Tools & Services, and MedTech. ARCHIMED helps partners internationalize, acquire, innovate and expand their products and services. ARCHIMED manages €9 billion across its various funds. Since inception, ARCHIMED has been a committed Impact investor, both directly and through its EURÊKA Foundation. ABOUT LA CAISSE At La Caisse, formerly CDPQ, Cranbrook Townsman has invested for 60 years with a dual mandate: generate optimal long-term returns for its 48 depositors, who represent over 6 million Quebecers, and contribute to Québec's economic development. As a global investment group, Cranbrook Townsman is active in the major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private credit. As at December 31, 2025, La Caisse's net assets totalled CAD 517 billion. For more information, visit lacaisse.com or consult its LinkedIn or Instagram pages. La Caisse is a registered trademark of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec that is protected in Canada and other jurisdictions and licensed for use by its subsidiaries. La Caisse CONRAD HARRINGTON Senior Director - International Media Relations + 1 514 847-5493 [email protected] International David Lanchner [email protected] +33 (0) 6 33 43 50 76 +1 646 302 2435 SOURCE La Caisse This is a paid placement. For further inquiries, please contact PR Newswire directly.

Healthcare PE specialist Archimed has acquired a majority stake in Swiss-based, family-owned ExcellGene and sister company Magellan Biologics & Consulting (both in the biologic therapeutics sector), partnering with founders and management to create a group covering gene transfer, cell line development and cell culture-based manufacturing for high-performance production of recombinant proteins, and other advanced therapeutics.