Solabia Divests Diagnostics Unit, Bets Everything on Cosmetic Actives

Astorg-owned Solabia will sell its microbiology diagnostics division to Oxoid Remel Microbiology and refocus entirely on cosmetics, nutrition and life sciences, the pan-European private equity firm announced. Muriel Koch, until recently CEO of Groupe NUXE, takes over as President and CEO, succeeding Jean-Baptiste Dellon after four and a half years at the helm.

For formulators and procurement teams that buy Solabia's natural and biotech active ingredients, the message is direct: the group plans to concentrate capital and R&D on the ingredient business it calls its core.

What does the deal change?

The proposed transaction would transfer Solabia's microbiology diagnostics division to Oxoid Remel Microbiology, an Astorg portfolio company acquired in August 2026. Astorg says the combination brings together complementary capabilities in microbiology diagnostics, creating a platform for continued development and international expansion.

The buyer sits inside the same portfolio. That structure keeps the diagnostics assets under Astorg ownership while stripping them out of Solabia's perimeter, simplifying what the ingredient group presents to customers and, likely, to future investors.

No financial terms, closing date or regulatory filing timeline were disclosed. Watch for completion confirmations and any carve-out details affecting diagnostics customers' supply arrangements.

Who is Muriel Koch?

Koch brings more than three decades of leadership experience across cosmetics, nutrition and consumer markets. She spent over twenty years at Nestlé in senior roles across Europe and Asia, and most recently led Groupe NUXE as CEO, driving the French skincare brand's international expansion and modernisation.

That résumé maps almost exactly onto Solabia's stated target markets. An ingredient supplier led by a former finished-goods brand CEO signals a likely sharpening of customer-facing strategy, brand-level understanding of what marketing teams need from active ingredient claims.

Koch said: "I am excited to join Solabia at this important stage in its development as the Group sharpens its focus on cosmetics, nutrition, and life sciences. Having spent my career across these markets, I see significant opportunities to build on Solabia's strong foundations and realize our ambition of becoming the global reference in natural and biotech active ingredients."

She will work with Solabia's Executive Committee and Astorg to deliver the group's growth ambitions.

What did Astorg and the outgoing CEO say?

Nicolas Marien, Partner, and Paul Arhanchiague, Managing Director at Astorg, said: "This strategic repositioning marks an exciting new chapter for Solabia, building on its strong foundations and established international presence. The planned divestment of its microbiology diagnostics division will allow the Group to sharpen its focus and pursue new opportunities for growth."

They thanked Dellon for his leadership and said they look forward to working with Koch and the wider management team.

Dellon, who led Solabia for four and a half years, added: "I am immensely proud of everything we have achieved together at Solabia over the past four and a half years, and grateful to our colleagues, customers, and partners for their contributions throughout this journey. With its clear strategic focus, strong foundations, and talented team, I am confident that Solabia is well-positioned for continued success under Muriel's leadership."

Why it matters for the ingredients market

Koch's stated ambition — "the global reference in natural and biotech active ingredients" — sets a competitive marker. Solabia competes in the natural actives and biotech-derived ingredient space, where consolidation and portfolio pruning have accelerated as suppliers chase positioning in high-margin, claim-rich actives.

For cosmetics manufacturers, a focused Solabia could mean:

• Deeper investment in natural and biotech active ingredient pipelines
• Stronger technical and marketing support built around brand-level needs
• A clearer long-term roadmap under a CEO with brand-side experience

The change in leadership is immediate. The divestment remains a proposed transaction, pending completion.

The next data points to watch: the deal's closing confirmation, its financial terms if disclosed, and Koch's first strategic moves — portfolio launches, capacity investments or partnership announcements — as she sets Solabia's cosmetics-first agenda.