AmerisourceBergen ($ABC), the $80 billion drug distribution and services goliath, is reconfiguring a couple of units in two countries to unify its global specialty pharma packaging.
The U.K.-based Brecon Pharmaceuticals will be merged with U.S.-based Anderson Packaging, creating the AndersonBrecon, reports InPharm. The combined operation starts with 12 facilities, a presence in 100 countries and about 1,500 employees. With a million square feet of capacity, the division is the largest contract packager in the U.S. It will operate as a division of AmerisourceBergen Consulting Services (ABCS).
AmerisourceBergen acquired Brecon in 2006 in a $28 million deal. That expanded its footprint in clinical trial packaging, one of the fastest growing areas of pharmaceutical packaging, InPharm reports.
AmerisourceBergen has been on a buying binge and last month picked up logistics and transport company World Courier for $520 million. Last year, AmerisourceBergen divided itself into three operations, AmerisourceBergen Drug Corp. (ABDC) focusing on high-volume pharmaceutical product distribution; AmerisourceBergen Specialty Group (ABSG) for specialty products like oncology drugs and plasma products; and ABCS, which does patient services and strategic consulting, as well as contract and clinical packaging.
The AmerisourceBergen deal is not the only action in the category. Catalent Pharma Solutions recently agreed to sell its U.S. commercial packaging operations to venture capital group Frazier Healthcare for an undisclosed fee.
- read the InPharm story