American Amgen acquires Bergamo pharmaceutical company
Valor Econômico
The American biotechnology company Amgen wrapped up yesterday the acquisition of the Brazilian laboratory Bergamo that develops medicines for serious diseases. The value of the deal - discussed a few months ago by the companies - totaled US$ 215 million and it will involve the Brazilian productive unit located in Taboão da Serra (SP). "We operate in the same market. Bergamo's portfolio, particularly in the sector of Oncology, is complementary to ours", told Valor the Vice-President of Amgen for Asia and Latin America, Richard Davies.
According to the Executive, the focus of the American company in the country will be the Oncology segment and the Governmental hospital sector. With the acquisition, Brazil becomes second largest subsidiary of the company, in terms of employees, only behind the Netherlands. With 430 employees, the workforce of Bergamo will join the nearly 17 thousand employees of Amgen in 50 countries. In Latin America, the productive unit acquired will be the first of the multinational in the region. The company has a commercial operation in Mexico, while in the other Latin American countries it operates by means of distributors.
Until the deal with Bergamo, Amgen had nearly 30 employees in Brazil, who worked at a research center of the company, in São Paulo. Mantercorp, recently purchased by Hypermarcas, was the distributor of the company in the country. Yesterday's agreement also involved the recovery, on the part of the American, of the rights on its products that had been granted to Mantercorp. "Our strategy for Brazil involved those three matters: scientific capacity; recovery of the granted drugs; and the purchase of Bergamo. We want to take part in the Brazilian market bringing innovative medicines. That is only the first step in Brazil", said the Executive who does not rule out future acquisitions in the country, but will now focus on the organic growth.
Headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California, Amgen is a publicly traded company with shares listed on Nasdaq. Last year, the income of the multinational totaled US$ 15.053 billion, representing growth of 3% compared to the 2009 results. The net profit increased from US$ 4.605 billion to US$ 4.627 billion. For this year, the company expects to have earnings from US$ 15.1 million to US$ 15.5 million. Bergamo, on its turn, accumulated net earnings of R$ 133 million (US$ 75.6 million) in 2010, compared to the R$ 118 million (US$ 60 million) registered in the prior year. The company was founded in 1916 and it is specialized in Oncology, hospital drugs - focused on biological and biotechnological products -, dermatology, human reproduction and pharmacies through the sale of growth hormones.