Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11935 – CARLYLE / SK CAPITAL PARTNERS / BLUEBIRD) – Candidate case for simplified procedure
Date: 2025-04-16
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: United States, economic concentration, genetic engineering, illness, investment company, merger control








C_202502332EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/2332


16.4.2025






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11935 – CARLYLE / SK CAPITAL PARTNERS / BLUEBIRD)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2025/2332)


1.   
On 7 April 2025, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).
This notification concerns the following undertakings:






—


The Carlyle Group Inc. (‘Carlyle’, USA),










—


SK Capital Investment VI, Ltd. (‘SKCI VI’, USA), controlled by SK Capital Partners L.P. (‘SK Capital Partners’, USA)










—


Bluebird bio, Inc. (‘Bluebird’, USA).




Carlyle and SK Capital Partners will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the whole of Bluebird.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are the following:






—


Carlyle is a global alternative asset manager investing in private equity, global credit, and investment solutions, including real estate, natural resources, and fund-of-funds strategies,










—


SK Capital Partners is a private investment firm focused on the specialty materials, chemicals and pharmaceutical sectors,










—


Bluebird is primarily active in the development and commercialisation of gene therapies aiming at addressing underlying causes of disease at the genetic level. Bluebird is active exclusively in the United States.






3.   
On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.
Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified treatment for certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.


4.   
The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed concentration to the Commission.
Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:
M.11935 – CARLYLE / SK CAPITAL PARTNERS / BLUEBIRD
Observations can be sent to the Commission by email or by post. Please use the contact details below:
Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu

Postal address:





European Commission




Directorate-General for Competition




Merger Registry




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË







(1)  
            OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

(2)  
            OJ C 160, 5.5.2023, p. 1.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/2332/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)