Akzo Nobel offloads its otc pharma division to concentrate on growth

Published: 3-Feb-2001


Akzo Nobel has completed the negotiations for the sale of its otc business, Chefaro, to the Belgian company Group Omega Pharma. Chefaro will cost Omega €105.7m, and comes with €35m of debt.

Chefaro specialises in otc pharmaceuticals and diagnostic products, including pregnancy testing kits, insect repellents, skin disinfectants, and topical muscle pain-killers, which it manufactures in the Netherlands and sells mainly in Europe, generating revenues of around €90m p.a. The sale of the company will allow Akzo Nobel to concentrate on its core pharmaceuticals area of 'r&d-driven human healthcare, animal healthcare and biopharmaceuticals production', says Paul Bron, Akzo Nobel's board director responsible for the pharmaceuticals business.

Omega Pharma, a fast-growing firm with around 1,000 employees, focuses on otc products and business-to-business services for pharmacists. 'We believe that the new owner will offer a more strategic and focused platform for Chefaro's business,' Bron comments. 'Our former employees will be able to work from a broadened and more specialised entrepreneurial platform, while Akzo Nobel can further focus on its growth engines.'

See more

You may also like

Manufacturing

Improving healthcare has led to a higher salt requirement

Read more
The number of dialysis treatments is increasing across the globe, mainly due to an increasing number of patients and improved healthcare in many developing countries

Trending Articles

  1. Continuous innovation: redefining the future of pharmaceutical manufacturing In an industry in which reliability is paramount and change can be slow, GEA has consistently proven that innovation and stability go hand in hand. Almost two decades ago, GEA introduced the first ConsiGma® continuous manufacturing (CM) system to the pharmaceutical market — a pioneering move that helped to reshape how oral solid dosage (OSD) forms are developed and produced
  2. Abselion launches AAVX and AAV9 Total Capsid Quantification Kits Ready-to-use solution for Amperia benchtop platform supports rapid, reliable quantification across a range of serotypes
  3. diaago and Peak Analysis & Automation partner to bring practical automation solutions to research laboratories Using diaago's customer-first approach with PAA’s decades of expertise in laboratory robotics, the collaboration promises to deliver solutions to streamline workflows, boost throughput and reduce bottlenecks
  4. Suncombe and Kindeva collaborate to deliver low-carbon inhalers to the NHS The partnership will develop next-generation pressurised metered-dose inhalers with low Global Warming Potential propellants, helping the NHS move closer to its Net Zero target
  5. Douglas Pharmaceuticals sets new benchmark for capsule quality with CI Precision Partnership delivers compliance confidence, efficiency gains and reduced waste

Upcoming event

Enhancing probiotic stability through smarter formulation and packaging strategies

18 September 2025 | Virtual See all

You may also like

Manufacturing

Improving healthcare has led to a higher salt requirement

The number of dialysis treatments is increasing across the globe, mainly due to an increasing number of patients and improved healthcare in many developing countries
Training & Education

AkzoNobel helps develop next generation of skilled workers

The company's commitment to inspiring young minds will be recognised in the Employer of the Year category of the inaugural Industrial Cadets Awards
Media

Schering-Plough acquisition of Organon BioSciences gets European Commission approval

<p>Schering-Plough Corporation has received approval from the European Commission for its planned acquisition of Organon BioSciences from Akzo Nobel as announced in March.</p>

Consortium to develop a pandemic flu vaccine

<p>A consortium of experts in the field of human virus research and vaccine development have joined forces to develop a novel pandemic influenza vaccine as a potential mergency vaccination. </p>
Sustainability

Xceleron and Organon sign microdose study agreement

<p>UK company Xceleron has signed a collaboration agreement with Organon, the human healthcare business unit of Akzo Nobel, on a three-compound human microdose study focusing on candidate selection for further clinical development. </p>
Sustainability

Organon and MRC Technology sign antibody development agreement

<p>Organon, the human healthcare business unit of Akzo Nobel, together with MRC Technology, of London in the UK, have signed a collaborative agreement to develop a humanised antibody for the treatment of certain forms of cancer. </p>
Sustainability

Organon and Dyax enter into therapeutic antibody alliance

<p>Organon, the human healthcare business unit of Akzo Nobel, has entered into an agreement with Dyax Corp. to discover and develop human therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of auto-immune diseases and cancer. </p>
Subscribe now