Botulinum toxin (BTX) maker Hugel said Wednesday that a consortium led by GS Group acquired the majority of the company's shares from Bain Capital's Leguh Issuer Designated Activity Company for 1.7 trillion won ($1.46 billion).

Leguh Issuer Designated Activity Company, a U.S. investment firm, agreed to sell 46.9 percent of Hugel's stakes it has been holding to the consortium Aprhodite Acquisition Holding LLC, handing over the position of the largest shareholder with the recent deal.

The consortium -- composed of GS Group, private equity firm IMM Investment, Singapore's healthcare-dedicated investment company CBC Group, and the United Arab Emirates sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Company -- bought a total of 6,156,932 shares, including 801,281 convertible shares.

Hugel said the company would continue its mid- to long-term strategy and vision and operational basis.

"The recent deal implies that we have proved our potential for expanding global business, corporate value, and competency as a domestic leading BTX maker rapidly raising our influence in the global market," a Hugel official said. "We will make an unprecedented example in the global medical aesthetic market with GS Group, IMM Investment, CBC Group, and Mubadala Investment Company."

Since 2017 when Leguh Issuer Designated Activity Company acquired Hugel's stake, Hugel has continued to show stable growth in the domestic BTX market and took the top place in the HA filler market in 2019.

The company sells BTX products in 28 countries, including China, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. It expects to obtain approval in Europe and the U.S. next year. Its HA fillers have won recognition for effectiveness in the global market.

Last year, Hugel became the first Korean company to receive the Chinese government's approval to sell its Botox products in the largest Asian market.