LONDON and OXFORD, England, March 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Matrix Corporate Capital (Matrix) and PharmaVentures Limited (PharmaVentures) today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) covering strategic transactions in the biotech, pharmaceutical and med tech sectors. The companies will work together to identify licensing, buyout, investment, IPO and consolidation opportunities which bring together both strategic expertise and capital from Europe's dedicated healthcare investors.

The MOU joins two firms with synergistic transactional capabilities in the healthcare life sciences space:

Matrix is a provider of a full range of corporate finance services to small and mid cap growth companies. They are able to service companies across the full corporate lifecycle, with access to financing from Series A venture finance through IPO, secondary placements and traded debt.

PharmaVentures is a leading specialist healthcare business advisory group assisting corporations in all aspects of strategic transactions, from strategy formulations to implementation. PharmaVentures has an extensive track record of successful strategic advisory mandates in the sector with over 17 years of experience and 450 assignments, for over 600 clients, in 38 countries.

Fintan Walton, Chief Executive of PharmaVentures said For our clients our alliance with Matrix will create one of Europe's strongest teams in healthcare transactions and equity financing. Our clients have always demanded the best and a strong experienced healthcare team is essential to their own success. Matrix has excellent proven capabilities in corporate finance and we are delighted to have entered into this agreement.

Malcolm Le May, Chief Executive of Matrix Corporate Capital said We are delighted to team our skills with those of PharmaVentures. It has an excellent track record with some of the largest names in the pharmaceutical sector. Many of these companies now face unprecedented change in their business models, with the pursuit of greater efficiency driving buyouts; assets sales and licensing. Matrix has access to both private and public sector-specific capital across Europe which, with PharmaVentures' help, will allow us to create innovative transactions around these assets.

About Matrix Group

Matrix Corporate Capital is part of Matrix Group which is a privately owned financial services business founded in 1987 other areas of expertise include Asset Management, Property, and Specialised Finance.To date Matrix has raised around GBP8 billion for its investment products and currently has circa GBP3 billion of funds under management. Matrix's staff of over 200 are based in the West End of London at One Vine Street. Matrix Group Limited is the holding company for the following business activities

About PharmaVentures

PharmaVentures Limited (http://www.pharmaventures.con) is based in Oxford, England and is a leading international corporate advisory firm supporting its clients' growth ambitions through licensing, joint ventures and MA in the healthcare industry. The company works for a variety of clients from start-ups to global pharmaceutical corporations, their advisors, investment companies and government bodies. It also produces the highly popular PharmaDeals(R) range of intelligence products including analysis tools and reports. In 2006 it launched the world's first dedicated online pharmaceutical television channel PharmaTelevision(R) ( http://www.pharmatelevision.com)

Contact Matrix Corporate Capital LLP Steve Cox, Partner +44-203-206-7000 PharmaVentures Limited Tibor Papp +44(0)1865-332700

SOURCE: PharmaVentures Limited SOURCE: Matrix Corporate Capital

CONTACT: Contact: Matrix Corporate Capital LLP, Steve Cox, Partner,+44-203-206-7000; PharmaVentures Limited, Tibor Papp, +44(0)1865-332700