Czech-Slovak group Penta Investments will have to give up some of its pharmacies in Romania to finalize the takeover of the A&D Pharma group, the leader of the local drug distribution and retail market, according to the Competition Council.

The competition authority analyzed the transaction through which Cyprus-based firm Glebi Holding, which is part of Penta group plans to take over A&D Pharma.

There are some “competition concerns” related to the effects this transaction may have on the local drug retail market, according to the Competition Council. Thus, Glebi Holding announced it was willing to sell the 18 drug stores under the Arta brand that it operates in Bucharest and Timisoara.

Penta Investments, which owns the Dr. Max drug store chain, one of the biggest in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), bought the local Arta drug store network, comprising 31 units, in June last year. The price of that transaction was not disclosed.

In December, Penta Investments announced that it planned to take over A&D Pharma group, which includes Mediplus Exim, the biggest local drug distributor, and the Sensiblu and Punkt drug store networks. The deal was in the EUR 350-400 million range, according to local media estimates.

Czech-Slovak fund buys the biggest pharmaceutical group in Romania

editor@romania-insider.com