December 15, 2015
It was too early to comment on the local implications of a proposal by Boehringer Ingelheim to “swap” its consumer healthcare business for an animal health business, a company spokesman said on Tuesday night.
Boehringer announced this week it has entered into negotiations with global healthcare company Sanofi to swap its consumer healthcare business, Boehringer Ingelheim CHC, for Sanofi’s animal health business, Merial.
The swap would also include a cash payment of €4.7 billion ($7.1 billion) by Boehringer to Sanofi.
Sanofi would gain access to Boehringer’s antispasmodic, gastrointestinal and analgesic products while Boehringer would become the second largest international company in animal health products.
One of Boehringer Ingelheim CHC’s key products is Buscopan which is manufactured from an alkaloid extracted from duboisia grown in the South Burnett.
Boehringer Ingelheim currently owns and leases about 1400ha of Australian farmland to grow duboisia.
Speaking from Germany, Dr Ralph Warsinsky told southburnett.com.au that Boehringer Ingelheim was just starting exclusive negotiations.
“Therefore it is too early to comment on any implications on production sites, including Kingaroy,” he said.
- External link: Boehringer Ingelheim media release
UPDATE 11:30pm: After publication, Dr Ralph Warsinsky contacted southburnett.com.au again with the following statement: “I can now confirm that Boehringer Ingelheim’s operation in Kingaroy is not affected by the potential transaction.”
