Pharmaton sold to US nutrition specialist IdeaSphere

Germany-based Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) has sold its natural healthcare business Pharmaton SA in Switzerland to New York-based nutrition products and herbs specialist IdeaSphere. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Pharmaton, located in Lugano, employs a staff of around 200 and has core brands such as Pharmaton capsules, caplets and effervescent tablets and Pharmaton Kiddi syrup, chewable tablets and effervescent tablets.

IdeaSphere, meanwhile, has more than 1,500 nutrition products, including Twinlab, (which includes the Fuel Line of sports and nutritional supplements), Ultra Harvest, a premium food-based line of vitamins and minerals, Nature`s Herbs, Alvita Teas, Rebus Publishing, Metabolife and Dr. Weil Supplements.

Mark Fox, president & COO of IdeaSphere, said Pharmaton would broaden the company's product portfolio towards new target audiences. "It complements not only our geographical strength in North America with attractive market positions but also provides us the access to other strategic markets in Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia. Moreover, both of our companies are emphasising science-based medicines," he said.

IdeaSphere will take over the whole Pharmaton business and brands. The companies have formed a cooperation agreement for the toll-manufacture of specific products. To facilitate the transfer of the Pharmaton business BI will continue to distribute the Pharmaton products for a transitional period. It said the Lugano site would be "strengthened by adding new capacitiesto establish it as a centre of excellence for r&d, manufacturing and marketing of natural health and multivitamin products".