DSM Acquires Cosmetic Active Ingredient Specialist Pentapharm
12 July 2007 15:16
Royal DSM NV announces that on the 4th July 2007 privately owned Pentapharm Holding Ltd. and DSM Nutritional Products Ltd. signed an agreement for the sale and purchase of 100% of Pentapharm's shares to DSM.
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Pentapharm employs about 200 people at locations in Switzerland, Japan and Brazil, and generates a revenue of around €40 million. Pentapharm holds a global leading position in the development and production of active ingredients and system solutions for the personal care industry, and is also present in niche pharmaceutical and diagnostics markets.
Pentapharm is particularly well known for its capabilities in innovation which have won it high regard amongst customers and strong brand recognition in the industry. Pentapharm's patent-protected cosmetic active ingredients meet consumers’ increasing demand for effective anti-aging, self-tanning, body-slimming and whitening products.
Supported by the global wellness trend such cosmetic active ingredients benefit from the highest growth rates within the personal care ingredients market. In the pharmaceutical and diagnostics field Pentapharm offers specialized products for niche applications in the context of human blood coagulation disorders.
Examples for Pentapharm’s innovative Personal Care portfolio include amongst others:
- Syn-Ake: an anti-aging synthetic tripeptide which mimics a snake venom-like mechanism and shows an excellent anti-wrinkle activity dignified with the Swiss Technology Award 2006
- Erythrulose: a self-tanning agent which leads to a deep, even and natural long-lasting tan without streaks. This contributes to the on-going boost in sunless tanning products
- Vialox®: an anti-wrinkle breakthrough and highly effective alternative to painful Botox injections based on synthetic pentapeptides.
- Alpaflor®: a broad range of domestic plant extracts (certified by ECOCERT for Natural and Organic cosmetic products) which are organically cultivated in the Swiss Alps at altitudes between 1.000 and 1.500 meters. The most notable of these is the EDELWEISS extract, which is rich in antioxidant and radical-scavenging components against oxidative stress.
Pentapharm's highly acknowledged skills in market positioning and introducing new products in addition to DSM's strong science base due to the unique heritage in pharma and nutrition research offer an attractive and efficient launch platform to leverage further Pentapharm as well as DSM pipeline products in the near future. With the acquisition of Pentapharm, DSM Nutritional Products will further strengthen its number 1 position as the global leading supplier of active ingredients for skin and sun care.
In line with DSM's unique dual track-strategy the strong focus on innovative products and integrated solutions for consumers’ beauty and well-being benefits plays the dominant role and substantiates DSM's goal to be the preferred partner for the producers of personal care products accordingly. The parties have agreed not to disclose financial details of the transaction.
"I am convinced that we have found in DSM a future-oriented and dynamic partner as the new owner who is committed to invest into the highly innovative Pentapharm and to sustain and even advance its success story`, commented Caspar Stürm, co-owner and CEO, Pentapharm.
Ute Schick, Head of New Business Development Personal Care, added: "We are all excited about the acquisition of Pentapharm as it offers the desirable opportunity to harvest the synergy of all innovation-related capabilities of both companies. We also feel very proud that we will be able now to offer the broadest range of unique and innovative active ingredients and related services and solutions to our customers in the Personal Care industry."
For more information on this company:
DSM Nutritional Products - Citric Acid, Vitamins, Carotenoids and Nutraceuticals
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