- Companies
- Asklepios BioPharmaceutical
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical Acquisition, Valuation, Funding & Investors
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical was acquired by Bayer for $4B in October 2020, a 0.8x multiple on $5B of revenue.
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical revenue at acquisition
$5B
Last twelve months · Oct 2020
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical revenue multiple at acquisition
0.8x
EV/Revenue · Oct 2020
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical EBITDA multiple at acquisition
8.5x
EV/EBITDA · Oct 2020
About Asklepios BioPharmaceutical
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical is a North Carolina gene-therapy company founded in 2001 and commonly known as AskBio. It develops therapeutic programs based on adeno-associated viral vectors for neuromuscular, central-nervous-system, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The company also built vector-engineering, promoter, manufacturing and repeat-administration technologies that can be used across multiple programs. Pharmaceutical partners license technology or collaborate on candidates, while the business developed manufacturing capacity through companies including Viralgen. Columbus Venture Partners held an interest from 2016 until Bayer acquired AskBio in 2020. Before the sale, AskBio expanded its technology platform through Synpromics, RoverMed technology assets and BrainVectis.
Founded
2001
HQ
Website
Status
Acquired
Customer focus
B2B
Revenue model
Licensing
Revenue
$5B (Oct 2020)
Valuation
$4B (acquired Oct 2020)
Sectors
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical Acquisition
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical was acquired by Bayer for $4B on 26 October 2020.
The acquisition price implies a 0.8x revenue and 8.5x EBITDA multiple on $5B of revenue.
Before the acquisition Asklepios BioPharmaceutical had raised $235M across 2 funding rounds.
| Acquirer | Date | Type | Price | EV/Revenue | EV/EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Oct 2020 | Strategic M&A | $4B | 0.8x | 8.5x |
Sources: bayer.com, agro.bayer.pe
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical Funding History
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical has raised a total of $235M across 2 funding rounds.
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical's first fundraising round was a undisclosed-stage round in January 2016. The most recent completed round was a $235M undisclosed-stage round in April 2019.
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical funding rounds
| Date | Stage | Investors | Raised | Deal Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2019 | Undisclosed stage | TPG (lead); Vida Ventures (lead) | $235M | Asklepios BioPharmaceutical (AskBio), founded in 2001 and spun out from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Gene Therapy Center, develops and manufactures adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapies targeting neuromuscular, CNS, cardiovascular, and rare genetic diseases like Pompe disease, Parkinson’s, congestive heart failure, and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The company raised $235 million in an April 11, 2019 funding round, with TPG Capital and Vida Ventures investing $225 million for an undisclosed minority stake, while founders and board members co-invested $10 million. Funds were allocated to accelerate clinical trials, expand manufacturing capabilities for its AAV platform and pipeline, and drive long-term growth. AskBio's co-founders include AAV pioneer Richard Jude Samulski and muscular dystrophy researcher Xiao Xiao, with Sheila Mikhail as CEO and co-founder. The investment built on the firm's expertise in viral vectors and repeat administration techniques to overcome neutralizing antibodies, aiming to broaden patient access to AAV therapies. TPG and Vida, who previously partnered on investments like Allogene Therapeutics, brought experience in gene and cell therapy spaces. In October 2020, Bayer acquired AskBio for $2 billion upfront plus up to $2 billion in milestones, supported by existing minority shareholders TPG Capital and Vida Ventures, integrating AskBio's AAV platform, IP, and CDMO services into Bayer's cell and gene therapy unit. AskBio also licenses therapies to partners like Pfizer for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (which received fast-track status) and provides CDMO services. |
| Jan 2016 | Undisclosed stage | Columbus Venture Partners | - | Columbus Venture Partners entered Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, commonly known as AskBio, during 2016. The firm’s official realized-portfolio record defines its holding period as 2016 through 2020 and identifies Bayer as the acquirer. AskBio is a North Carolina gene-therapy developer and platform company built around adeno-associated viral vectors, therapeutic programs and manufacturing technology. Columbus’s involvement also supported the later creation of Spanish manufacturing businesses connected to the AskBio platform. The live AskBio history begins with a USD 235 million TPG and Vida Ventures financing in April 2019 and then records Bayer’s October 2020 acquisition, so it omits Columbus’s earlier entry. No amount, security type or exact day is inferred from the portfolio record. |
Who has invested in Asklepios BioPharmaceutical?
3 investors have backed Asklepios BioPharmaceutical across its funding rounds, including TPG, Vida Ventures and Columbus Venture Partners.
Lead investors include TPG and Vida Ventures.
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical Investors
| Investor | HQ | Rounds | Role | First check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lead | Apr 2019 | ||
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all 3 Asklepios BioPharmaceutical investors. Start Free Trial | ||||
Benchmark 350K+ Funding Rounds and Disclosed VC Valuation Multiples
Sign up to see data on 350K+ funding rounds and disclosed revenue and EBITDA valuation multiples, from seed, through growth stage, to pre-IPO.
Start Free TrialAcquisitions by Asklepios BioPharmaceutical
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical has acquired 3 companies to date.
Last acquisition by Asklepios BioPharmaceutical was on April 22nd 2020. Asklepios BioPharmaceutical acquired Brainvectis for undisclosed valuation.
Latest Acquisitions by Asklepios BioPharmaceutical
| Description | Brainvectis is a biotechnology company founded in 2015 and based in Fontenay-aux-Roses, France, developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s. Its approach targets restoration of brain cholesterol metabolism via increased CYP46A1 activity. | RoverMed BioSciences is a Minnesota-based developer of 20-nanometer nanocapsule technology for targeted drug delivery to tumors in head, neck, prostate, and colon cancers. The platform penetrates tissues to release payloads into cell nuclei, partnering with pharma firms for therapeutics against solid tumors. Proven through GeneSegues research, RoverMed advances applications in neurology and cardiology. Founded in 2015, it licenses tech from labs in Rochester. | Synpromics Ltd is an Edinburgh-based biotech firm developing synthetic promoters for precise gene expression control in therapeutics and biomanufacturing. Founded in 2010, the company licenses promoter libraries for mammalian, viral, and microbial systems, enabling tunable regulation in cell therapies, vaccines, and protein production. |
| HQ Country | |||
| HQ City | Paris | Saint Cloud, MN | Edinburgh |
| Deal Date | 22 Apr 2020 | 17 Sep 2019 | 13 Aug 2019 |
| Valuation | undisclosed | undisclosed | undisclosed |
| EV/Revenue | |||
| EV/EBITDA | |||
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all Asklepios BioPharmaceutical acquisitions and their M&A valuation multiples. Start Free Trial | |||
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical Competitors
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical competitors include listed companies like Shijiazhuang Yiling, Liquidia, Zhejiang Huahai and Shanghai Junshi, and private ones like Biomat USA and LEO Pharma.
| Company | HQ | Status | Revenue | EBITDA | Valuation | Revenue Multiple |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publicly listed | $1.2B | $332M | $4B | 3.0x | ||
| Publicly listed | $158M | ($50M) | $4B | 6.1x | ||
| Publicly listed | $1.3B | $250M | $4B | 3.5x | ||
| Publicly listed | $375M | ($100M) | $4B | 9.2x | ||
| Private | - | - | $4.2B | - | ||
| Private | - | $301M | $4.2B | - |
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical Public Comps
Asklepios BioPharmaceutical is no longer listed, but its public comps include Shijiazhuang Yiling, Liquidia, Zhejiang Huahai, Shanghai Junshi, Hubei Jumpcan, Laboratorios Rovi, Relay Therapeutics, Tianjin Pharma, Santen Pharmaceutical and Xenon Pharmaceuticals.
| Last FY | EV/Revenue | EV/EBITDA | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | EBITDA | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | |
| $1.2B | $332M | 3.1x | 3.0x | 11.0x | 13.6x | |||
| $158M | ($50M) | 24.5x | 6.1x | (77.7x) | - | |||
| $1.3B | $250M | 3.8x | 3.5x | 19.8x | 13.0x | |||
| $375M | ($100M) | 11.8x | 9.2x | (44.3x) | (685.6x) | |||
| $933M | $363M | 2.7x | 2.7x | 6.8x | - | |||
| $834M | $242M | 4.8x | 4.6x | 16.5x | 16.9x | |||
| $15M | ($300M) | 214.1x | 304.1x | (11.0x) | (10.2x) | |||
| $738M | $386M | 5.3x | - | 10.2x | - | |||
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all Asklepios BioPharmaceutical competitors and their valuation data. Start Free Trial | ||||||||
Common questions about Asklepios BioPharmaceutical
| When was Asklepios BioPharmaceutical founded? | Asklepios BioPharmaceutical was founded in 2001. |
| Where is Asklepios BioPharmaceutical headquartered? | Asklepios BioPharmaceutical is headquartered in Chapel Hill, NC, United States. |
| Is Asklepios BioPharmaceutical publicly listed? | No, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical was acquired by Bayer in October 2020. |
| Who acquired Asklepios BioPharmaceutical? | Asklepios BioPharmaceutical was acquired by Bayer in October 2020. |
| How much was Asklepios BioPharmaceutical acquired for? | Asklepios BioPharmaceutical was acquired for $4B in October 2020, a 0.8x revenue multiple. |
| How much funding has Asklepios BioPharmaceutical raised? | Asklepios BioPharmaceutical has raised $235M across 2 funding rounds. |
| What was Asklepios BioPharmaceutical's last funding round? | Asklepios BioPharmaceutical's last funding round was a $235M undisclosed-stage round in April 2019, led by TPG and Vida Ventures. |
| Who are Asklepios BioPharmaceutical's investors? | Asklepios BioPharmaceutical's investors include Vida Ventures, Columbus Venture Partners and TPG. |
| Which companies are comparable to Asklepios BioPharmaceutical? | Companies comparable to Asklepios BioPharmaceutical include Shijiazhuang Yiling, Liquidia, Zhejiang Huahai, Shanghai Junshi, Biomat USA and LEO Pharma. |
| How many companies has Asklepios BioPharmaceutical acquired? | Asklepios BioPharmaceutical has acquired 3 companies, including Brainvectis, RoverMed BioSciences and Synpromics Ltd. |
See companies similar to Asklepios BioPharmaceutical
Start Your
Free Trial Today
Try Multiples for free for 3 days. Got questions or need a demo? Schedule a call with us below.




