Pharma

Piramal Healthcare Acquires German Brands

Aims to become a global leader in polygeline-based blood plasma expansion products

Piramal Healthcare Limited, one of India's largest pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, and part of the Piramal Group, announced the completion of a definitive agreement with PlasmaSelect AG, Germany (PlasmaSelect), to acquire PlasmaSelect's polygeline-based blood plasma products marketed under the brand name 'Haemaccel' in over 38 countries. In addition, PlasmaSelect also markets the product under the brand name 'Emagel' in Italy and 'Solucel' in Venezuela. This acquisition is intended to bring global leadership to Piramal Healthcare's polygeline-based blood plasma expansion products. Piramal Healthcare currently markets the products under the brand name 'Haemaccel' in India and under the brand name 'Haemageline' in 17 other countries. Commenting on the acquisition, Ajay Piramal, Chairman, Piramal Group said, "Over the years, we have recognised the compelling potential of the global critical care business. We aspire to become a leading global player in this business with our worldwide distribution network and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in India." Blood plasma expansion products are life-saving infusion pharmaceuticals that help maintain blood plasma volume until blood transfusion can be administered to the patient, in the event of blood loss. These products also serve a range of other critical care needs in hospitals and critical care facilities. In 1998, Piramal Healthcare bought Haemaccel-related business in the Indian market along with the manufacturing facility in Mumbai from sanofi-aventis, the originator company of Haemaccel. In 2004, sanofi-aventis sold its Haemaccel-related rights in 76 countries and its manufacturing facility at Marburg, Germany, to PlasmaSelect AG. The total yearly revenues of Haemaccel and associated brands of Piramal Healthcare and PlasmaSelect together are 9.1 million euros, at current exchange rates. Blood plasma expansion products are a part of the global critical care business division of Piramal Healthcare. The global critical care division markets a range of important hospital pharmaceuticals, including halothane / isoflurane inhalation anaesthetics. The acquisition is consistent with Piramal healthcare's objective of growing its global critical care business. Piramal Healthcare will pay cash consideration of 7.7 million euros for the transaction. The transaction includes the brand rights, contracts, registrations, dossiers and know-how relating to haemaccel and associated brands. It excludes the manufacturing facility of PlasmaSelect at Marburg, Germany. This capacity would be able to service the expanded Haemaccel sales. PlasmaSelect will continue to manufacture Haemaccel as per Piramal Healthcare's requirements to facilitate orderly migration of manufacturing to the new facility at Baddi, Himachal Pradesh.

EH News Bureau