Antin Infrastructure Partners Acquires Clinical Trial Equipment Leader Emsere in Strategic Healthcare Move
Key Insights
Antin Infrastructure Partners (search) has agreed to acquire Emsere (search), a global leader in clinical trial equipment rental services, from Dutch investment platform Gryphion (search) through its €2.2 billion Mid Cap Fund I.
Emsere (search) operates a portfolio of over 13,000 pieces of specialized medical equipment including centrifuges, vital signs devices, and imaging equipment, serving clinical trials in over 100 countries.
The acquisition positions Antin to capitalize on the fast-growing clinical trial equipment rental market driven by increasing outsourcing demand and the need for more complex equipment solutions.
Antin Infrastructure Partners (search) has entered into an agreement to acquire Emsere (search), a leading global provider of clinical trial equipment rental services, from Dutch family office and investment platform Gryphion (search). The acquisition will be executed through Antin's €2.2 billion Mid Cap Fund I, representing the fund's eighth investment.
Strategic Healthcare Infrastructure Investment
Headquartered in Leiden, the Netherlands, Emsere (search) has established itself as a critical infrastructure provider for the pharmaceutical industry since its founding in 1996. The company maintains a portfolio of over 13,000 pieces of specialized medical equipment, including centrifuges, vital signs devices, cardiovascular and respiratory monitoring machines, imaging devices, and cardio-pulmonary exercise testing equipment.
Emsere (search)'s global reach extends to over 100 countries through its network of distribution centers and third-party relationships, positioning it as a consolidated solution for clinical trial equipment needs. The company's client base includes six of the top 10 global pharmaceutical companies and seven of the top 10 contract research organizations (CROs) worldwide.
Market Growth and Industry Dynamics
The clinical trial equipment rental market continues to experience robust growth, driven by increasing demand for outsourcing and the growing complexity of equipment requirements needed to support innovative clinical research endpoints. Pharmaceutical companies and CROs are increasingly seeking flexible solutions that provide mission-critical equipment compliant with evolving regulatory requirements, delivered globally and at scale.
Emsere (search)'s services enable pharmaceutical companies and contract research organizations to focus on their core objectives of innovative science and clinical trial execution, eliminating the need for temporary capital expenditure on equipment or complex logistics coordination to clinical trial sites globally.
Leadership Perspectives on the Transaction
Angelika Schöchlin and Omar Meziane, respectively Managing Partner and Partner at Antin Infrastructure Partners (search), expressed their enthusiasm for the partnership: "We are delighted to be partnering with Emsere (search)'s management to support the company in its next stage of growth. Emsere is a global leader in an important and fast-growing segment of the social infrastructure sector, underpinned by favourable tailwinds and high barriers to entry."
William Ford, Chief Investment Officer at Gryphion (search), reflected on the company's development under their ownership: "It was a pleasure and an honour to work with Patrice Gerard as CEO, Jon Raven as CCO, Pierre Otto as CFO/COO and the rest of the Emsere (search) team and its founders in the past few years in a true partnership, setting the strategy and accelerating the growth of the company together."
Future Growth Strategy
Patrice Gerard, CEO of Emsere (search), who will invest alongside Antin along with the senior management team, stated: "We thank Gryphion (search) for its support over the past several years, and are excited to benefit from Antin's expertise and experience to continue our growth journey. Antin's track record of scaling companies makes it the ideal partner to support us in delivering best-in-class clinical trial equipment and services to our blue-chip global customers and in accelerating our expansion."
Transaction Details and Advisory Support
The transaction is expected to close in Q1 2026. Antin was advised by Macquarie (search) as financial adviser and Loyens & Loeff (search) as legal adviser, while Gryphion (search) was advised by Moelis (search) as financial adviser and DLA Piper as legal adviser.
This acquisition continues Antin's strategic focus on scaling companies within the health and medical sub-sectors of social infrastructure, leveraging its €33 billion in assets under management across its Flagship, Mid Cap and NextGen investment strategies.