The European private equity firm Cinven has acquired family-owned niche pharmaceuticals company Amdipharm of the UK for £367 million, and is planning to merge it with Mercury Pharma (formerly Goldshield Group), which it bought for £465 million last month. The two companies' combined revenues are around £250 million, and EBITA is £100 million.

Goldshield's management appears to have trumped the Fuhrer family and former Goldshield CEO Ajit Patel in the battle for control of Goldshield Group with a bid valuing the UK firm at £178 million and the support of a large contingent of its shareholders.

Goldshield Group's management team has launched a counter-bid for the UK listed pharmaceuticals and consumer health group, offering a 2.2% premium to last week's offer from the family that owns Israel's Neopharm. The management team's bidding vehicle, Midas Bidco, is offering 460 pence per share in cash, valuing Goldshield at £169 million.

AIT Investments has increased its bid for Goldshield Group from 440 pence per share to 450 pence per share, valuing the company at £165.7 million.