Private equity firms including Advent International and Blackstone are approaching both banks and private lenders over debt packages of around €7.5bn ($8.16bn) to help finance a potential acquisition of Sanofi’s consumer health division, according to a report by Bloomberg.
If successful, the deal will be one of the largest leveraged buyouts in recent years.
The report cites unnamed sources as confirming that Bain Capital, CVC Capital Partners, EQT, KKR & Co and Clayton, Dubilier and Rice have also all shown interest in in striking a deal for the unit with could be valued at up to $20bn.
Last October, Sanofi said it planned to split off the division, likely through a stock market listing, which, according to a company spokesman, remains the most likely option, at the earliest in Q4 2024. The Paris-based company remains open to an outright sale at the right valuation, however.
