Czech investment fund Penta Investment is close to acquiring A&D Pharma, the largest pharma group in Romania, in a deal estimated at EUR 300-400 million.

The agreement could be signed by the end of this year, according to market sources cited by local Ziarul Financiar.

The Czech group could take over both the Sensiblu and Punkt pharmacy chains as well as the drug distributor Mediplus Exim.

A&D Pharma ranks first in the local drug distribution market via Mediplus Exim and second on the drug retail market. It records a cumulated turnover of RON 5.7 billion (EUR 1.2 billion).

The talks between Penta Investment and the A & D Pharma shareholders are exclusive. This means that the Czech group could pay EUR 50 million if it decided to withdraw from this deal. The Czech group previously negotiated the takeover of A&D Pharma more than five years ago, but the deal failed. The transaction could now reach EUR 300-400 million. The payment will be made in stages.

A&D Pharma is controlled by Walid Abboud, Roger Akoury, Ludovic Robert and Michel Eid.

editor@romania-insider.com