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Tokyo – March 3, 2025 – Blackstone (NYSE:BX) announced today that private equity funds managed by Blackstone (“Blackstone”) have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in CMIC Co., Ltd. (“CMIC” or “the Company”), Japan’s leading contract research organization (CRO) that provides comprehensive end-to-end services across clinical trial phases and therapeutic areas. Blackstone will acquire a 60% stake while CMIC HOLDINGS Co., Ltd. (“CMIC HD”) will retain the remaining 40% stake in the Company.
This investment underscores Blackstone’s commitment to investing in Japan’s healthcare services sector, where it has deep expertise and network.
Atsuhiko Sakamoto, Head of Private Equity, Blackstone Japan, said: “This is a continuation of our strong commitment to Japan – one of our fastest-growing markets globally – and investing in our high conviction theme, life-sciences-related services, where we’ve built a meaningful portfolio in Japan and around the world. We’re focused on bringing critical medicines and technologies to the Japanese market and helping transform the industry and patients’ lives. We’re proud to showcase a hallmark Blackstone deal: partnering with a visionary founder and the management team to help build the business for lasting value, benefitting from our scale, operational expertise, and synergy across our portfolio.”
CMIC was founded in 1992 as the first CRO in Japan. It has pioneered the sector, partnering with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to help develop medicines and bring them to the market faster and more efficiently.
Kazuo Nakamura, Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, CMIC HD, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Blackstone, the world’s leading alternative investor, and continue CMIC’s growth. CMIC, as the first pioneer, brings 33 years of industry heritage and has become the top player in Asia, serving as a critical partner to healthcare and pharmaceutical institutions, individuals, and the government. We couldn’t be prouder of how the Company is positioned today and expect Blackstone to play a key role in further unlocking the Company’s potential.”
Blackstone had one of its most active years in Japan last year. In Private Equity, Blackstone announced four landmark transactions including I’rom Group, Japan’s leading SMO; Infocom, the leading provider of digital comics in one of the largest deals in 2024; Sony Payment Services, a carveout of Sony’s payment service provider; and the sale of Alinamin after transforming the company into a market leader. In Real Estate, Blackstone announced the acquisition of Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho, Japan’s largest real estate investment ever by a foreign investor.
About Blackstone
Blackstone is the world’s largest alternative asset manager. We seek to deliver compelling returns for institutional and individual investors by strengthening the companies in which we invest. Our more than $1.1 trillion in assets under management include global investment strategies focused on real estate, private equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, credit, real assets, secondaries and hedge funds. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow @blackstone on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Instagram.
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