Omega Pharma acquires 'Varilind' from
Roland Arzneimittel GmbH

14th December 2001. Omega Pharma NV (Belgium) has acquired the Varilind-brand and activities from Roland Arzneimittel GmbH (a 100 % daughter of Altana AG).

Varilind is the German market-leader in compression and support stockings sold in pharmacy. Existing for more than 25 years, Varilind has a high brand-awareness, is actively presented in more than 10.000 pharmacies, and represents more than 8 Mio € of turnover.

Roland has divested the Varilind-activity because it was no longer core-business. Omega Pharma has bought Varilind for the strong brand with growth potential, for strengthening their German organisation and because of the high potential in internationalisation of Varilind through Omega Pharma's existing pharmacy-oriented European sales network.

The transaction was structured as an asset-deal, by which Omega Pharma acquires the trademark, products and clients, dedicated personnel (16 employees) and all other Varilind-linked rights.

This transaction, together with the existing activities of Omega Pharma in Germany, with the launch of several synergetic products (out of Omega Pharma's European OTC-pipeline) and with the launch of the German B2B-division, will allow Omega Pharma to accelerate the implementation of its business-model in Germany in order to build a strong pharmacy-oriented German organisation.

This transaction is the first use of the funds that Omega Pharma has raised through a capital increase last week. Omega Pharma expects that several other mid-size deals will follow in the short term.