Roquette enters high-growth pharmaceutical excipients market

The acquisition of Brazilian firm Itacel by the plant-based ingredients supplier Roquette marks the entrance of a new competitor in the pharmaceutical excipients market.

Founded in 1933 and based in Lestrem, France, Roquette currently supplies a range of nutritional supplements and other products, and has a turnover in excess of $2 billion.

Itacel, which is headquartered in the region of São Paulo, offers a large range of products to pharmaceutical companies for use in the production of medicines.

Parent company Blanver says it is divesting the business to focus on the expansion of its other business interests, which include medicines and active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Subject to customary conditions, the union of the two family-owned groups is expected to complete in the third quarter of this year.

Over the next few years, strong growth is forecast in the global pharmaceutical excipients market, which some analysts expect to reach $8 billion by 2021.

Growth is being fuelled by overall expansion in the pharma industry, as well as rising demand for new drug delivery systems and patent expiries of several blockbuster drugs.

Roquette chief executive Jean-Marc Gilson said: “This acquisition is a key milestone in the development of our service offering in the pharmaceutical industry and the expansion of our footprint in fast-growing emerging markets.”

“Blanver’s leadership in excipient products in Brazil and Latin America represents a significant addition to our innovation capabilities, our manufacturing assets and our commercial network.”