Moscow, 2 September 2010 – JSC «Pharmstandard» (LSE: PHST IL, RTS: PHST RU)  reports about acquisition of 100% shares of the ZAO «Vindexpharm».

Details of the deal:

ZAO «Vindexpharm», whose shares are purchased during the transaction, owns the trademark Acipol®, as well as two related trademarks which protect the original package and the logo of the drug.

In June 2010, Pharmstandard addressed the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service requesting a permit for purchase of 100% shares in ZAO «Vindexpharm». In August 2010, all the permitting documents required were obtained for entering into the purchase agreement.

The purchase will be paid for from own cash funds of Pharmstandard by the end of 2010.

About Acipol® 

Acipol® is within the segment of probiotics. For the first time it was presented to the market in November 2006. Acipol® is used for prevention and treatment of disbacteriosis of the gastrointestinal tract and for prevention and treatment of conditions causing it, for adults and children starting the age of 3 months. Unlike other drugs used for treating disbacteriosis, Acipol® contains a bacterial culture of alive acidophilic bacteria and polysaccharide of kefir fungus, thereby Acipol® raises the immunologic responsiveness of the body, rather than only affects correctively the gastrointestinal microflora. Acipol is an over-the-counter medicine, and this fact makes it possible to increase the recognizability of the brand name by means of mass media. Acipol has a good track record among general practitioners. Starting June 2010, 
JSC «Pharmstandard» is the exclusive distributor of Acipol® on the Russian market.

Russia’s total consumer market of probiotics in 2009 was 31 million packs and 5.2 billion rubles. The segment has been growing noticeably in monetary terms since 2007, up to 25% per annum according to the data Market Research Center «Pharmexpert».

After entry of Acipol to the Russian market, its retail sales amounted to more than 500 million rubles and 2.88 million packs from 2007 till 2009*. Acipol is one of the fastest-growing brand names in the probiotics segment, with annual growth exceeding 50%. The share of Acipol in the probiotics segment was 4.3% in 2009.

In the first half of 2010 retail sales of Acipol®  achieved 116,4 million RUR,  demonstrating increase in sales for 12% in comparison  with the same period of the 2009.  

Contacts:

JSC Pharmstandard
ILYA Krylov
IR manager
+7 495 970 0030 ext. 2416
Email: ir@pharmstd.ru
www.pharmstd.ru 

***

Pharmstandard is the leader of Russian pharmaceutical industry in R&D and production of the medicinal products. The Company is the leader measured by sales in the whole Russian pharmaceutical market in the year 2009. Since 2007 Pharmstandard keeps its leading position in commercial segment and remains strong leader among the domestic pharmaceutical company-manufacturers, having increased it’s market share from 18,9% in 2008 up to 20%¹ in 2009. During the tenth anniversary of «Platinum Ounce 2009», the open competition among professionals of pharma business, Pharmstandard was awarded in the nominations for «The Company of the Year - the Russian pharmaceutical products manufacturer» and «The Company of Decade - the Russian pharmaceutical products manufacturer».

Pharmstandard operates three modern pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities: JSC “Pharmstandard-Leksredstva” in Kursk, JSC “Pharmstandard-UfaVITA” in Ufa, JSC “Pharmstandard-Tomskhimpharm“  in Tomsk and medical equipment factory JSC “TZMOI” in Tyumen.

The Company has invested approximately RUR 3 billion RUR in modernization and development of production capacities reaching more than 1,35 bln units per year. All the production facilities fully comply with Russian manufacturing standards. Six production lines of JSC «Pharmstandard-Leksredstva» meet EU GMP requirements.

Pharmstandard portfolio includes over 200 products used in the treatment of diabetes, growth hormone deficiency, cardiovascular diseases, gastroenterological and neurological disorders, infectious diseases, cancer, etc. 86 products offered by Pharmstandard are included in the List of Vital and Essential Pharmaceuticals.

Among our market-leading brands are Arbidol®, Complivit®, Pentalgin®, Flucostat®, Phosphogliv®, Amixin® and Afobazol®. Antiviral product «Arbidol» was awarded for «Platinum ounce 2009» in the nominations «OTC Product of the Year» and «OTC Product of Decade». Pentalgin® has been granted “BRAND #1 IN RUSSIA” award for 2009 in analgesics category.

In 2004–2009, we developed and introduced over 40 new pharmaceutical products in close collaboration with the leading scientific centers of Russia.  Pharmstandard is the partner of the joint venture biotechnological project “Generium” in order to develop and manufacture innovative biological products within the state program of import substitution.

Pharmstandard holds 11,3% of shares of the company Grindeks AS, Latvia and keeps strategic partnership on distribution and promotion of Mildronate®.

Pharmstandard became a public company in 2007 by offering to the public 27.6% of its share capital in the form of GDR on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and 18.1% of its share capital in the form of ordinary shares on two local stock exchanges (RTS, MICEX). Approximately 54.3%of voting shares of OJSC “Pharmstandard” are held by “Augment Investments Limited”.             
                                                                                                                                                
www.pharmstd.ru

1.Pharmexpert (CMR) 2009 market data