GREECE: Marinopoulos said to weigh sale of drugmaker Famar | Progresiv
Marinopoulos Group, the Greek company that manages franchises for Carrefour SA supermarkets and Gap Inc. retailers, is considering the sale of its pharmaceutical manufacturing business Famar SA, according to people with knowledge of the matter. 
The sale of Famar may fetch about 400 million euros and attract interest from other drugmakers and private- equity firms, two of the people said, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are private. Marinopoulos is working with Jefferies Group to find a buyer, they said. No final decision about a price or sale of the unit has been made, the people said.
It’s been a record year for deals in the pharmaceutical industry, with acquirers spending about 377 billion dollars on deals in the industry so far this year, nearly twice the amount spent a year ago, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Established in 1949, Famar has a presence in markets such as Greece, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, according to its website. BC Partners announced a similar deal in June, buying Pharmathen SA, another drug manufacturer based in Greece.
A spokeswoman for Jefferies declined to comment. Representatives for Athens-based Marinopoulos and Famar didn’t respond to calls and e-mails seeking comment on a potential sale. (www.esmmagazine.com)
