Walder Wyss in the acquisition of Arctos Medical by Novartis
Novartis has acquired Arctos Medical, adding a pre-clinical optogenetics-based AAV gene therapy program and Arctos’ proprietary technology to its ophthalmology portfolio. The acquisition underscores the Novartis commitment to finding treatments for patients with vision loss and the potential of optogenetics as the basis of successful therapeutics.
Arctos developed its technology as a potential method for treating inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) and other diseases that involve photoreceptor loss, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Arctos was originally incubated by +ND Capital and was later supported by Novartis Venture Fund through a Series A financing round led by +ND Capital.
Walder Wyss advised +ND Capital and the other sellers in the transaction. The team was led by Luc Defferrard (partner, corporate/m&a, pictured) and further included Dimitrios Berger (senior associate, corporate/m&a), Janine Corti (counsel, tax) and Peter Bürkli (senior associate, healthcare & life sciences).
