Zambon acquires Laphal business

Italian pharmaceutical company Zambon has acquired the commercialpharmacy drug operation of the French group Laboratoires Laphal, together with around 50 drug specialties. The deal, financial terms of which are not disclosed, involves Zambon taking over a workforce of about 100, including a sales team.

The Laphal drugs bought comprise specialties which have been on the market for 30 years, including the vascular treatment Veliten (rutoside,vitamins C and E). Laphal, which is a medium-sized company based in Allauch, near Marseille, has been keen to divest this business, which accounts for about a third of its annual drug sales of 50 million euros ($45.6 million) but inhibits its capacity to fund its current pharmaceutical R&D.

Alain-Eric Bergman, finance director of the French company, said the problem is that the country's legislation prevents enterprises from writing-down existing drug marketing approvals and is also too restrictive for a firm of Laphal's size.