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ASP sold certain assets to Roivant Sciences GmbH

  • Background:  Avadel Specialty Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“ASP”), based in Chesterfield, MO, is a pharmaceutical company engaged in the business of commercializing, marketing, and distributing NOCTIVA™ (desmopressin acetate) nasal spray.
  • Cassel Salpeter:
    • Served as financial advisor to the Company
    • Ran a competitive sales process, identifying and contacting over 100 strategic and financial parties
    • Provided assistance throughout all phases of the Chapter 11 Section 363 sales process, due diligence, and auction.
  • Challenges:
    • NOCTIVA™ had limited sales and required a full commercialization effort to make the drug financially successful
    • ASP entered into an unfavorable license agreement which potential bidders ultimately had to renegotiate
  • Outcome:  On April 15, 2019, the court approved the sale of certain ASP assets to Roivant Sciences GmbH, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland.

inRegen sold certain assets to Orgagen

  • Background: InRegen, with headquarters in the Cayman Islands, is a leader in three-dimensional regenerative medicine.
  • Cassel Salpeter:
      • Served as exclusive financial advisor to the Company in its divestiture of the Neo Urinary conduit assets
      • Ran a competitive sales process for the assets and assisted the Company in evaluating offers received
      • Assisted in the structuring, negotiating, and closing of the transaction
    • Challenges:
      • Complex technology
      • Small universe of potential buyers
  • Outcome: On December 31, 2018, InRegen closed on the sale of the Neo Urinary Conduit assets to Orgagen, Inc.

Sancilio sold certain assets to K.D. Pharma Bexbach

  • Background: Sancilio Pharmaceuticals Company, Inc. (“Sancilio”), based in Riviera Beach, FL, is an integrated specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, and commercializes pharmaceutical products, over-the-counter and behind-the-counter products, and dietary supplements in the dental and women’s health markets.
  • Cassel Salpeter:
    • Served as financial advisor to the Company
    • Ran a competitive sales process, identifying and contacting over 300 strategic and financial parties
    • Provided assistance throughout all phases of the Chapter 11 Section 363 sales process, due diligence, and auction
  • Challenges:
    • Expedited sales timeline with less than six weeks to identify and solicit interest from potential bidders
    • Simultaneous, multiple sales processes for different divisions of the Company
  • Outcome: On August 1, 2018, the Ocean Blue division of Sancilio Pharmaceuticals Company, Inc. was purchased by K.D. Pharma Bexbach GmbH, headquartered in Bexbach, Germany.

Sancilio sold certain assets to Micelle Biopharma

  • Background: Sancilio Pharmaceuticals Company, Inc. (“Sancilio”), based in Riviera Beach, FL, is an integrated specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, and commercializes pharmaceutical products, over-the-counter and behind-the-counter products, and dietary supplements in the dental and women’s health markets.
  • Cassel Salpeter:
      • Served as financial advisor to the Company
      • Ran a competitive sales process, identifying and contacting over 300 strategic and financial parties
      • Provided assistance throughout all phases of the Chapter 11 Section 363 sales process, due diligence, and auction
  • Challenges:
      • Expedited sales timeline with less than six weeks to identify and solicit interest from potential bidders
      • Simultaneous, multiple sales processes for different divisions of the Company
  • Outcome: On August 8, 2018, Altemia and the ALT Platform, a Phase III ready product for the treatment of sickle cell disease; a prenatal and dental portfolio of prenatal vitamins and fluorides; and the plant and labs of Sancilio Pharmaceuticals Company, Inc., were purchased by Micelle Biopharma, Inc.

Convert has been acquired by Abbey Road Capital

  • Background: Convert IT Marketing, LLC (“Convert”), founded in 2011 and based in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, provides outsourced pay-per-click marketing solutions for local law firms in specialty practices throughout the U.S. Convert IT’s unique and proprietary strategies deliver superior performance to its 500+ customers in terms of cost and quality of leads, placing it in the top 1% of all digital marketers serving the legal vertical.
  • Cassel Salpeter:
      • Served as exclusive financial advisor to the Company in its divestiture of the Neo Urinary conduit assets
      • Ran a competitive sales process, identifying and contacting strategic and financial parties
      • Provided the owner with advice from pre-engagement to post-close
    • Challenges:
      • Limited buyer universe
      • Multiple offers ahead of the completion of initial calls
  • Outcome: On August 31, 2018, Convert IT was purchased by Abbey Road Capital.

CORD:USE has been acquired by Cryo-Cell International

  • Background: CORD:USE Cord Blood Bank (“Cord”), based in Orlando, FL, owns and operates a cord blood bank that focuses on building an inventory of umbilical cord blood stem cell units for patients in need of a life-saving transplant.
  • Cassel Salpeter:
    • Served as financial advisor to the Company
    • Advised Cord in evaluating its strategic options and provided assistance throughout the due diligence and closing process
    • Ran a broad sales process, contacting 115 parties
  • Challenges:
    • Small footprint – Marketing in select markets
    • Sizeable amount of debt
    • Complex capital structure
  • Outcome: In June 2018, Cord was acquired by Cryo-Cell International, Inc. The upfront consideration consisted of cash and shares of Common Stock with the potential for contingency cash payments based upon pre-determined milestones.

Sys2k has been acquired by Serent Capital

  • Background: Systems 2000, Inc. (“Sys2k”) is a SaaS business that provides a mission-critical dealership management system for the specialty vehicle market, including RV, marine, auto, heavy duty trucks, bus and emergency vehicles. With over 350 customers throughout the U.S. and Canada and a strong recurring revenue base, the Sys2k platform is highly regarded due to its true multi-company, multi-location system offering full DMS capabilities across all departments of a dealership.
  • Cassel Salpeter:
    • Served as financial advisor to the Company
    • Ran a limited sales process, contacting 19 specifically targeted financial and strategic buyers
  • Challenges:
    • Management required guidance and support to satisfy due diligence requests due to small size and limited resources
  • Outcome: In March 2018, Sys2k was 100% acquired by Serent Capital, broadening their portfolio of system-of-record software businesses and automobile technology investments. 

Norquay has been acquired by MPD Chemicals, a portfolio company of Addison Capital Partners

  • Background: Norquay Technology, Inc. (“Norquay”) is a specialty chemical manufacturer with over 30 years of expertise in providing the scale-up and production of advanced proprietary custom materials, including organometallic, inorganic, and organic molecules. Norquay’s product line includes chromic, electronic, catalyst, ligand, medical adhesive, and UV performance products, with a customer base that ranges from startups to large multi-national corporations.
  • Cassel Salpeter:
    • Served as financial advisor to the Company
    • Ran a competitive sales process, identifying and contacting over 60 financial and strategic partners
  • Challenges:
    • Balancing owner’s objectives to maximize value while preserving company culture
    • Complexity of the specialty chemical industry and navigating the strict environmental regulations
  • Outcome: In December 2017, Norquay was acquired by MPD Chemicals, a portfolio company of Addison Capital Partners, broadening MPD’s specialty chemical manufacturing capabilities; Norquay’s owner now holds a minority equity stake in MPD.

Trucker Path has been acquired by Renren

  • Background: Trucker Path, Inc., is a leading software platform for the trucking industry. Trucker Path’s core product is the Trucker Path app, a trip planning companion for truck drivers, enabling a large driver community to assist each other in updating the real-time status of relevant points-of-interest on their route. Expanding on the success of the Trucker Path app, Trucker Path also introduced the Truckloads app, a mobile marketplace providing freight load matching with over 3 million loads posted monthly.
  • Cassel Salpeter:
    • Served as the exclusive financial advisor to the Company
    • Ran a competitive sales process contacting approximately 50 potential strategic acquirers, resulting in 6 indications of interest
  • Challenges:
    • The Company had a solid user base and software platform, but had not monetized the assets well
    • Company management and board dynamics
  • Outcome: In December 2017, Trucker Path was acquired by Renren. 

NephroGenex sold assets to Medpace Research

  • Background: NephroGenex, headquartered in Raleigh, NC, is a specialty pharmaceutical Company that focused on the development of therapeutics to treat kidney disease. Based on financial considerations, the firm decided to pause its two key programs: 1) its Phase III clinical program for oral Pyridorin for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy and 2) its Phase I ready program for IV Pyridorin for the treatment of acute kidney injuries.
  • Cassel Salpeter:
    • Served as the exclusive financial advisor to the Company
    • Served as restructuring advisor to debtor in a bankruptcy matter, identifying and contacting over 275 strategic and financial parties
  • Challenges:
    • Drug failed to show a significant effect over the placebo in Phase III clinical trails
    • Complexity and duration of bankruptcy proceedings
  • Outcome: On May 10, 2017, the United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Delaware entered an order confirming the Sale pursuant to a Plan of Reorganization under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. The plan became effective on May 24, 2017.