Alliance UniChem to form partnership with Associação Nacional das Farmácias (Portugal's national association of pharmacies)

Alliance UniChem Plc, a leading European healthcare group, has agreed to form a strategic partnership with Portugal's national association of pharmacies ("Associação Nacional das Farmácias", "ANF"). This partnership will bring together Alliance UniChem's expertise and presence in pharmaceutical wholesaling in Portugal, including its European supplier relationships, with ANF's exclusive position in representing and supporting Portuguese pharmacies.
The new partnership will ideally place Alliance UniChem Farmacêutica to benefit from ANF's position in the Portuguese market place in order to significantly strengthen its offering targeted at pharmacies. In addition, ANF will be able to access Alliance UniChem Farmacêutica's wholesale expertise and the breadth and scope of the Alliance UniChem Group's European presence.
Under the terms of the transaction, ANF will pay €49.0 million for its 49 per cent stake in the business. A further two per cent stake in the business will be acquired by Jose De Mello Participacoes II SGPS S.A., an independent investment company with interests in the Portuguese healthcare industry. The transaction is expected to be completed at the end June 2005. As part of the agreement Alliance UniChem and ANF will invest an additional €15 million each to allow Alliance UniChem Farmacêutica to take full advantage of the significant opportunities its new structure will offer.
Commenting on the transaction, Ian Meakins, Chief Executive of Alliance UniChem, said: "This transaction represents the closest possible unity between Alliance UniChem Farmacêutica as a wholesaler and its community pharmacy customers. ANF is exceptionally placed in that it is the exclusive professional representative body for the pharmacy community in Portugal and handles administration of the reimbursement system for pharmacies within the Portuguese market."
Ornella Barra, Executive Director, added: "Alliance UniChem's co-operation with ANF reflects the Group's strategy, of which partnership with pharmacists and pharmaceutical manufacturers is a key element. Our Group has a strong commitment to pharmacists, as illustrated by our sponsorship of the European Pharmacists Forum (EPF). The EPF was created in 1999 and its members represent eight countries, including Portugal.