Ahmedabad-based Rs 10,000 crore drug major Zydus Cadila, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Zydus Healthcare Limited, has acquired six brands from global pharma major MSD and its subsidiaries for an undisclosed sum.
The brands include Deca-durabolin, Durabolin, Sustanon, Multiload, Sicastat and Axeten range, which fall in the men's health, women's health, cardiovascular and wound management therapy segments.
The company said in a statement here that the deal includes transfer of distribution and commercialisation rights and assignment of trademarks of all the six brands to Zydus Healthcare Limited in India.
As part of the deal, Organon (India) Private Limited, one of the legal subsidiaries through which MSD operates its business in India, has also transferred the distribution and commercialisation rights for Deca-Durabolin and Durabolin to Zydus for Nepal.
Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. It operates in areas including prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products and has a presence across 140 countries.
The financial details of the deal, however, remain undisclosed.
The brands Deca-Durabolin and Durabolin are among the widely prescribed drugs for the treatment of osteoporosis, muscle wasting and management of negative nitrogen balance. Sustanon is a form of injectable testosterone in the men's health segment and is used as a testosterone replacement therapy by general practitioners, consultant physicians and andrologists.
The acquired portfolio had clocked sales of Rs 84 crore in 2015. Analysts felt that the strategic brand acquisition would plug in gaps in Zydus' therapy portfolio, especially in the men's health portfolio where it had limited presence.
Speaking on the development, chairman of Zydus Healthcare Limited, Sharvil Patel said: "We have a long-standing association with MSD in India and value them as a partner. The brands with their strong equity are a perfect addition and complement our core business and brands. We look at this as a great opportunity to strengthen our core offerings to create value and growth."
Among other acquired brands, Multiload, an intra-uterine device is expected to widen the offerings the Group has in women's contraceptives segment. Axeten is a popular antihypertensive brand and Sicastat is used in wound management.
Zydus' acquisition trail:
1995- Acquired Indo Pharma Pharmaceutical Works Ltd. Indo Pharma (later re-named as Indon) was a 56-year-old company.
2000- Acquired Recon Healthcare. This strategic move boosted the group's strengths in the southern markets of India.
2001- Acquired German Remedies Ltd. With this, Zydus gained leadership in the women's healthcare, respiratory and oncology segments.
2001- Acquired Aten. This helped Zydus Cadila to reach the top slot in the cardiovascular segment
2002- Acquired Banyan Chemicals, a company with and USFDA approved API plant
2003- Acquired Alpharma France SAS. This was the first overseas acquisition of the group
2006- Acquired Carnation Nutra-Analogue Foods Ltd, which manufactures Nutralite - India's largest selling premium margarine.
2007- Acquired Liva Healthcare. This enabled the group to make a strategic foray into the Rs 1,500-crore derma market.
2007- Acquired Quimica e Farmaceutica Nikkho do Brasil Ltda. (Nikkho).
2007- Zydus Cadila entered into a share purchase agreement with Ambalal Sarabhai Enterprises to acquire the remaining 50% holding in the joint venture company, Sarabhai Zydus Animal Health Ltd., making it a 100% subsidiary company of the group.
2008- Acquired Laboratorios Combix, Spain, Simayla Pharmaceuticals of South Africa and Etna Biotech of Italy
2009- Acquired remaining 30% shareholding of Simayla Pharmaceuticals, South Africa making it a 100% subsidiary of the group
2011- Zydus Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., through its subsidiary Zynesher Pharmaceuticals USA LLC entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of the US-based pharmaceutical company Nesher Pharmaceuticals Inc.
2011- Cadila Healthcare Ltd., through its 100% subsidiary Zydus Animal Health Limited (AHL) signed a Share Purchase Agreement with ICICI Venture, to acquire 100% shareholding of Finest Procuring Solutions Limited, which in turn holds 100% shareholding of Bremer Pharma GmbH, of Germany.
2011- Acquired 100% stake in Biochem, one of the top 40 pharma companies in India.
2016- Expanded the animal health business with the acquisition of the manufacturing operations and select brands of Zoetis, a global animal health company
2016- Acquired the brand, Actibile from Albert David Limited, strengthening its presence in the gastro segment.
