Kirkland & Ellis advised EW Healthcare Partners on a partnership with Ascend Advanced Therapies (Ascend), a gene-to-GMP development company, which will help to expand the footprint and capabilities of Ascend in the United States. As part of the broader transaction, EW Healthcare Partners also sold its portfolio company, Advanced BioScience Laboratories (ABL), a biotherapy, oncolytic and viral vector contract development, and manufacturing organization (CDMO) located in Rockville, Md., to Ascend and made a significant capital investment in Ascend in order to support the continued growth of the company.