EdgeCap-backed Comac Medical Group Expands with Acquisition of ILIFE Consulting, a French Early-phase Specialty CRO
Strategic acquisition marks significant step to establish pan-European footprint and deepens expertise in oncology and early-phase biotech clinical trials.
LONDON, May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Comac Medical Group ("Group"), based in the UK and backed by EdgeCap Partners, announced today the acquisition of ILIFE Consulting ("ILIFE"), a specialized Contract Research Organization (CRO) headquartered in Paris, France, renowned for its expertise in oncology, rare diseases, and complex biotech clinical trials.
The transaction represents a significant milestone for the Group on its journey to becoming the leading pan-European full-service CRO partner for small and medium-sized biopharma companies, and complements recent expansions into the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Founded in 2013 by Marina Iché, ILIFE has built a distinguished reputation for delivering high-value strategic consulting alongside clinical trial execution for biotech sponsors. ILIFE's addition to the Group will leverage complementary expertise and reach, thus creating new opportunities for clients, who will benefit from a complete service offering, including enhanced capabilities in biostatistics, data management, pharmacovigilance, bioanalytical services, and Comac Medical's state-of-the-art Early Phase Clinical Research Unit.
ILIFE's founder and CEO, Marina Iché, will continue in her leadership role and become a significant shareholder in the Group to support strategic growth initiatives and to maintain continuity of ILIFE's values and services that have driven its success positioning it as a trusted partner in the biotech ecosystem.
Marina Iché, Founder and CEO of ILIFE Consulting, stated:
"Partnering with EdgeCap and Comac Medical Group marks an exciting new chapter for ILIFE. We share a deep commitment to quality, innovation, client-centric and agile service delivery. We mobilize our resources and energy to ensure successful partnerships with our clients. We listen and capitalize on our expertise to identify and bring the best solutions to support our clients in achieving their goals productively and efficiently. Joining forces allows us to leverage additional resources, broaden our service portfolio, and better serve our clients across Europe and beyond. We rely on the competence and integrity of our team whose dedication and energy drive us to work swiftly towards obtaining actionable results. I remain fully committed to ensuring continuity in ILIFE's services while pursuing our mission to bring meaningful innovation to patients."
Chris Smyth, Incoming CEO of Comac Medical Group, said:
"ILIFE Consulting's expertise and established presence in the French biotech ecosystem significantly strengthen our capabilities as part of the Group. I look forward to working closely with Marina and the ILIFE team as we collaborate to create meaningful value for our stakeholders and deliver excellence across our expanded geographic and therapeutic landscape."
Today's announcement closely follows the Group's recent leadership appointments and international expansion initiatives, including new executive appointments – Dr. Chris Smyth as incoming CEO (effective 1st September 2025), Christian Buhlmann as Chief Commercial Officer, and Peter Windisch as Chief Operations Officer – and Neil Ferguson as Chairman of the Board.
About ILIFE Consulting
ILIFE Consulting is a Paris-based CRO specialized in early-phase oncology and biotech development. Since 2013, ILIFE has partnered with emerging biotech companies to deliver tailored strategic and operational support – from protocol design to full clinical trial execution, including first-in-human and multi-country studies. With deep expertise in oncology, rare diseases, novel therapeutic modalities, and complex regulatory environments, ILIFE accelerates timelines, optimizes data quality, and helps its clients make confident, value-driven decisions. Trusted by over 20 biotech sponsors across Europe, ILIFE's senior team of scientific and clinical leaders is committed to delivering high-impact studies that bring innovation closer to patients.
About Comac Medical Group
Based in London, United Kingdom, Comac Medical Group is one of the leading pan-European, full-service CRO platforms striving to be the partner of choice for small and medium-sized biopharma clients globally. The Group is present in more than 30 countries across Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe, providing a comprehensive range of early to late-phase drug development services across a variety of therapeutic areas including oncology, rare diseases, dermatology, gastroenterology, and respiratory diseases.
Comac Medical's FDA and EMA-inspected Clinical Research Unit (CRU) for Phase I, bioavailability and bioequivalence studies has 20 years of experience in early-phase clinical research. Based in Sofia, the facility is the largest in the region and comprises 42 beds, an on-site pharmacy as well as a clinical and bioanalytical laboratory.
About EdgeCap Partners
EdgeCap is a London- and Tallinn-based mid-market private equity and growth capital firm targeting investments into high-quality companies in Europe. We partner with ambitious founders and management teams to develop strong local businesses into pan-European and global champions. EdgeCap was founded in 2021 by Kristjan Piilmann and Chris Backes, who have 20+ years of combined private equity and investment banking experience at bulge bracket firms including PSG Equity LLP, Morgan Stanley, Citi and Goldman Sachs.
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