Romania’s Regulator To Consider MedLife’s Takeover Of Pharmachem

Romania’s competition authority announced on Tuesday, May 4, that it will look into the agreed takeover of Bucharest-based drug distributor Pharmachem Distributie by local privately-owned medical services group MedLife.

In order to determine whether the concentration is compatible with the normal competitive environment, the Competition Council will consider the notified transaction under the merger regulation, the antitrust body said in a statement.

In December, MedLife announced it had signed an agreement to take over a 75% stake in Pharmachem for an undisclosed sum.

Pharmachem was established 16 years ago and has an extensive network of warehouses in Bucharest and across the country. In 2019, the distribution company booked a turnover of 83.4 million lei (US$20.35 million), up by 30% compared to the previous year.

Established in 1995, MedLife operates the largest network of clinics, one of the largest networks of medical laboratories, general and specialized hospitals and has the largest corporate clients base for health prevention packages in Romania, according to information on its website.

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