Apheon enters genetic analysis teams with Longwood

The pan-European venture capital fund takes control of the distributor of in vitro diagnostic equipment for genetic analysis.

Pan-European venture capital firm Apheon, formerly known as Ergon Capital, has acquired a majority stake in Longwood, a Spanish company specializing in distributing in vitro diagnostic equipment for genetic analysis to hospitals, according to market sources consulted by EXPANSIÓN.

Antonio Raichs, founder of the Zaragoza-based company, will reinvest alongside Apheon as part of the transaction, which was managed bilaterally between the parties. The executive, in addition to remaining a minority shareholder in Longwood, will also remain the company's chairman.

Since its founding, Longwood has established itself as a leading distributor in the field of in vitro diagnostics, collaborating with leading multinational manufacturers.

The company's solutions are primarily based on massive sequencing technology, covering several therapeutic areas such as transplantation, genetics, oncology, and forensic genetics, among others.

The group's business model is complemented by a dedicated division that produces its own niche products, and another division responsible for providing high-value-added analytical services to its clients, including public and private hospital laboratories, primarily in Spain and Portugal.

Longwood, led by Miguel Giralt as CEO since 2020, will now have the support of Apheon to accelerate its growth with the aim of expanding its product and solutions offering in various therapeutic areas, and will explore consolidation transactions that contribute to creating an international group.

The asset manager is known in Spain for being a shareholder in 360º Pádel Group and Satlink. It previously held a shareholder in Palex, until its sale to Fremman.