The President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection consented to the takeover of Polpharma by Richter Gedeon. The enterprises operate in the pharmaceutical sector.

Richter Gedeon deals, among other things, with the production and sales of pharmaceuticals. It specialises in the production of gynaecological preparations, medicines used to treat cardiovascular disorders, diseases of the central nervous system and the digestive system. The company is the main producer of pharmaceuticals in Hungary; it also operates in approx. 100 other countries. In Poland, it operates via Grodziskie Zakłady Farmaceutyczne Polfa and Biowet Drwalew.

Based on the decision of the President of the Office, the company will be able to take over Polpharma, which operates in the same sector and is the largest Polish producer of generics - equivalents of original pharmaceuticals. It specialises in the production of cardiac, gastrological and neurological products.

After conducting the antimonopoly proceeding, the President of the Office decided that the consolidation will not cause a substantial lessening of competition, in particular by creating or strengthening a dominant position on the market.

Under the existing regulations, a transaction is subject to notification to the President of UOKiK, if it involves enterprises whose total turnover in the preceding year exceeded EUR 1 billion globally or EUR 50 million in Poland.

Further information:
Małgorzata Cieloch, Spokesperson for UOKiK
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warsaw, Poland
Tel. (+48 22) 827 28 92, 55 60 106, 55 60 430
faks (+48 22) 826 11 86
E-mail: mcieloch@uokik.gov.pl