Alliance Boots to acquire Depolabo

Alliance Boots, a leading international pharmacy-led health and beauty group, announces today that it has signed an agreement to acquire Depolabo, a leading provider of pharmaceutical pre-wholesale and contract logistics services in France. The transaction, which is subject to various conditions including approval by the French competition regulator, is expected to completed in the coming months.

Depolabo distributes pharmaceutical products to wholesalers, pharmacies and hospitals on behalf of more than 50 manufacturers. It is headquartered in Marseilles, operates four warehouses across France and has approximately 600 employees.

Ornella Barra, Board Member and Wholesale & Commercial Affairs Director, Alliance Boots, commented: “We are pleased to announce this agreement as the acquisition will enable us to accelerate the expansion of our pre-wholesale and contract logistics services in Europe as well as enhancing our range of added-value services for pharmaceutical manufacturers.”

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Editor’s notes:

Alliance Boots is an international pharmacy-led health and beauty group with two core businesses, pharmacy-led health and beauty retailing and pharmaceutical wholesaling. Working in partnership with manufacturers and pharmacists, the Group delivers a range of products and services that help millions of consumers and patients look and feel their best. Formed on 31 July 2006, Alliance Boots is privately owned and employs over 110,000* employees. It has a presence in over 20* countries operating over 370* pharmaceutical wholesale warehouses delivering to over 135,000* pharmacies, doctors, health centres and hospitals. It operates more than 3,200* health and beauty retail outlets, of which over 2,900* have a pharmacy dispensing more than 210 million* items each year.
* Figures stated are as at 31 March 2008, are approximate and include associates and joint ventures.

For further information, please contact:

Yves Romestan / Zoe Farthing Communications Tel: +44 (0) 1932 871569

Richard Constant Tel: +44 (0)20 7554 1400