InforMed Sold to Irish buyer for £17.3m

UK-based healthcare communications and market research company InforMed Direct has been acquired by Irish pharma firm United Drug in a deal worth £11.4m cash, with an additional £5.9m to be paid on agreed profit targets during the next three years.

With 80 staff based near Manchester, UK and Connecticut, USA, the firm offers healthcare communications at every stage of the product lifecycle - from development and consultancy to tactical delivery.

Its market research and business analysis division delivers quant and qual research, as well as forecasting, market simulation models, and support in the field of disease areas strategy plans.

United Drug - which provides services to healthcare manufacturers and pharma retailers - plans to integrate InforMed into its Contract Sales & Marketing Services division, and all employees will remain with the group.

The firm's CEO, Liam FitzGerald comments: 'The acquisition significantly adds to our offering, both in the UK and the US, in the growing Contract Sales & Marketing Services division. InforMed has an excellent management team and I am delighted to welcome them to the group.'

Web sites: www.informed-direct.com and www.united-drug.ie .