− Acquisition of Consumer Healthcare company
Easypharm OTC GmbH strengthens position in Consumer
Healthcare
− Portfolio includes leading brands
easysleep® and easyrelax®
LANGENFELD, Germany,
Jan. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --
Neuraxpharm Group (Neuraxpharm), a leading European specialty
pharmaceutical company focused on central nervous system (CNS)
disorders, today announces the expansion of its operations in
Central Europe with the launch of
Neuraxpharm Austria, and the acquisition of Easypharm OTC GmbH, a
privately-owned Austrian Consumer Healthcare company.
Headquartered near Vienna,
easypharm focuses purely on Consumer Healthcare via, among others,
its two leading CNS brands, easysleep® and
easyrelax®. easypharm currently sells and
distributes in Austria with its
own highly experienced sales force company Frank & Co, covering
more than 70% of Austrian pharmacies. The easypharm management will
be retained by Neuraxpharm to provide business continuity.
The leading product, easysleep®, for the
treatment of insomnia with its unique combination of melatonin,
valerian and hop is at the forefront of the Austrian
over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aid market with several unique
preparations in the form of tablets, spray and tea.
easyrelax® reduces stress, nervous tension and
restlessness.
Through the acquisition of easypharm, Neuraxpharm will further
strengthen its capabilities in the fast-growing Consumer Healthcare
market in Europe while continuing
the company's geographical expansion. Both the expansion and
acquisition are in line with Neuraxpharm's outlined strategy,
reinforcing its position as a CNS specialist in Europe.
The acquisition of easypharm will support Neuraxpharm's first
commercial launch in Austria of
its own probiotic product NeuraxBiotic Spectrum®, a
"psychobiotic" that modulates the gut-brain-axis.
Neuraxpharm's Austrian operations will become part of the
company's Central European region that currently includes
Germany and Poland. It will be headed up by Dr.
Olaf Krampe, Neuraxpharm's Head of
the Central European Region and current General Manager of
Neuraxpharm Germany, with over 20 years of experience in the
pharmaceutical industry.
The transaction announced today follows acquisitions in the last
year of other Consumer Healthcare companies, S.T.U. GmbH in
Switzerland and Farmax in the
Czech Republic, resulting in
Consumer Healthcare becoming a significant part of the Neuraxpharm
business, accounting for 10% of revenues growing at 45% year on
year.
Dr Jörg-Thomas Dierks, Chief
Executive Officer of Neuraxpharm, said: "This acquisition is
another step in our strategy to expand our CNS capabilities across
Europe. easypharm offers not only
an established foothold in the market for branded Consumer
Healthcare products, but also provides Neuraxpharm with a strong
commercial network for the roll out of our existing Consumer
Healthcare and Value-Added prescription brands within Austria. We look forward to welcoming the
easypharm team into Neuraxpharm and to working with them to grow
the business."
Commenting on the transaction, Dr Erwin Klein and Mag Johannes Schwertner, Co-Founders and
Managing Directors of Easypharm, said: "easypharm has built
a strong product portfolio and brand in Austria. We are delighted that easypharm has
become part of Neuraxpharm's network and hope this will support
Neuraxpharm to become an even stronger player in the European CNS
market."
The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
About Neuraxpharm – the European CNS specialist
Neuraxpharm is a leading European specialty pharmaceutical
company focused on the treatment of central nervous system
disorders (CNS), with a direct presence in Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Czech
Republic, Switzerland,
Slovakia, United Kingdom, Poland, Hungary, Portugal and now Austria. Backed by funds advised by Apax
Partners, Neuraxpharm has a unique understanding of the CNS market
built over 30 years.
With its focus on CNS, Neuraxpharm develops and commercializes
value added medicines, standard generics and Consumer Healthcare
products, e.g. probiotics and other nutraceuticals, and is
continuously striving to offer a wide range of effective, high
quality and affordable CNS treatment options in Europe.
Present with its products in more than 50 countries, Neuraxpharm
also manufactures pharmaceutical products and active pharmaceutical
ingredients from its own manufacturing sites in Spain, Inke and Lesvi.
Austria is the 10th
largest country within the European Union's CNS Pharmaceuticals
market, a market estimated to be worth €560 million. Neuraxpharm
has expanded its presence in 8 additional countries within the last
12 months and Austria is now the
12th European market in which Neuraxpharm has a direct
presence.
To learn more about Neuraxpharm, please visit:
https://www.neuraxpharm.com
About easypharm
Based in Gießhübl (Vienna), Austria, Easypharm OTC GmbH was
launched in 2008 by Dr. Erwin Klein
and Mag. Johannes Schwertner, two
experienced pharmaceutical executives. Starting as a generic and
OTC business, easypharm is today fully focusing on the Consumer
Healthcare business and distribution in Austria with its affiliated sales force
company Frank & Co.
Major products are the easy brands, a brand portfolio which
comprises currently 9 products, with easysleep®
as the leading brand. The easypharm business model includes the
development and launch of new products and line extensions.
For easypharm please visit: https://www.easypharm.at