Ropes & Gray Ranked Second Most Active M&A Adviser in August

Ropes & Gray has ranked second in Dealogic's list of August's top global M&A advisers by deal value. The firm advised on nine transactions with a combined value of $19.8 billion due to increased M&A activity in key sectors, including life sciences and health care, as well as dealmaking activity by private equity sponsors.

Most notably, Ropes & Gray represented Pfizer Inc. in connection with its proposed $14 billion acquisition of Medivation, Inc. a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing small molecules for oncology. The firm also advised:

• Ramius LLC and Cowen Group, Inc. in the proposed sale of Ramius Alternative Solutions LLC (RASL) to global investment firm AllianceBernstein L.P.
• TSG Consumer Partners in its proposed acquisition of Duckhorn Wine Company, including all six wineries and more than 600 acres of estate vineyards, from GI Partners.
• Pfizer Inc. on its agreement with AstraZeneca to acquire the development and commercialization rights to AstraZeneca’s late-stage small molecule anti-infectives business, primarily outside the United States.
• Revelstoke Capital Partners in its acquisition of Fast Pace Urgent Care from Shore Capital Partners
• CCMP Capital Advisors, LP in its definitive agreement under which affiliates of CCMP will acquire a controlling interest in Badger Sportswear.
• Smile Brands Group, Inc., one of the largest providers of support services to dental groups in the United States, in its sale to Gryphon Investors, a leading middle-market private equity firm based in San Francisco.
• StemCells, Inc. in its definitive merger agreement with Israel-based Microbot Medical Ltd.
• Mattress Firm Holding Corp. in connection with its proposed acquisition by Steinhoff International Holdings N.V.

Read more about recent M&A trends in the latest edition of Ropes Recap, a quarterly recap of merger law news, authored by Ropes & Gray’s M&A team.