Sanofi-Aventis Poised to Purchase Additional Stake in Zentiva

Sanofi-Aventis appears likely to purchase a 10.06% stake in Czech pharmaceutical manufacturer Zentiva. The shares are being sold by Belviport Trading Ltd., a private shareholder of the company. Sanofi-Aventis is already Zentiva’s largest shareholder at nearly 25%, and it has been trying since last year to purchase a majority share.

The sale by Belviport is conditional on Sanofi’s ability to acquire at least a total 50% stake in Zentiva, with the bid expiring on February 20th.

Zentiva (www.zentiva.cz)
Zentiva N.V. is an international pharmaceutical company based in the Czech Republic. They employ nearly 6,500 people at plants in Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, and their native country. Zentiva offers its mainly generic pharmaceutical products in Russia, Poland, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and the Baltics. Their primary growth strategy has been to increase the availability of their products all across Central & Eastern Europe, by focusing on primary care physicians and their patients.

Sanofi-Aventis (www.sanofi-aventis.com)
Sanofi-Aventis is a global pharmaceutical company with operations on six continents. They provide a broad range of medicines, vaccines, and health care solutions which can be adapted to local means. Sanofi recorded sales of € 27.6 billion in 2008 and invested € 4.6 billion in research and development.

They are the largest pharmaceutical concern in Europe as well as the growing markets of Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and Russia.