Celesio, one of the leading international service providers in the pharmaceutical and healthcare markets, Thursday announced the acquisition of 60 per cent of the Brazilian Oncoprod Group, São Paulo. Oncoprod is the leading wholesaler for specialty pharmaceuticals in Brazil.

"The Brazilian pharma market offers many opportunities for growth," noted Markus Pinger, Chairman of the Management Board and CEO of Celesio.

According to Pinger, Brazil's healthcare market grows above average, especially the area of Specialty Pharmaceuticals that is highly attractive.

“The acquisition of Oncoprod is therefore an optimal addition to Panpharma, the company’s Brazilian wholesaler. With both companies, the business is focusing on its core competencies in pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution of specialty pharmaceuticals,” said Pinger.

Wolfgang Mähr, the Celesio Management Board member responsible for the Pharmacy Solutions division, reiterated that: "Precisely in the specialty pharmaceuticals segment, experts expect double-digit growth rates in the coming years. Celesio wants to participate in this with Oncoprod."

In Brazil, specialty pharmaceuticals – predominantly pharmaceuticals for complex diseases such as cancer – are available virtually exclusively in hospitals and special clinics, but not in pharmacies.

Distribution is not via normal pharmaceutical wholesale, but via specialized distribution companies such as Oncoprod because, as a rule, these medicines must be stored and distributed according to special requirements in terms of handling, service and cooling. The Panpharma and Oncoprod business complement each other with respect to customers and product ranges without overlap.

Oncoprod was founded in 1995 in São Paulo. The company has grown strongly in recent years and today has more than 300 employees. In the current year, estimated revenue is expected to exceed 800 million Brazilian reais (around 350 million euro).

The company's main customers are private special clinics, private and state-run hospitals, patients as well as government institutions. Oncoprod is the only distributor focused solely on specialty pharmaceuticals, operating with seven branches throughout Brazil.

Celesio is active in 27 countries worldwide and employs around 47,000 employees in its three divisions namely Patient and Consumer Solutions, Pharmacy Solutions and Manufacturer Solutions. Approximately 2,300 of Celesio’s own retail pharmacies, as part of Patient and Consumer Solutions, serve around half a million customers every day.

In its wholesale activities, the core business of Pharmacy Solutions, more than 130 wholesale branches deliver to approximately 65,000 pharmacies – day in, day out. In the Manufacturer Solutions division, Celesio offers pharmaceutical manufacturers logistics, marketing and sales solutions and operate in the area of Efficient Care Pharma.

13th October 2011