Skip to content

This Site is Intended for Healthcare Professionals Only

Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Thornton & Ross acquires Opticrom eye drops from Sanofi UK

Thornton & Ross is all set to expand its consumer healthcare offering by acquiring the well-established Opticrom eye-drops brand from Sanofi in the UK.

Opticrom forms part of a wider transaction between Thornton & Ross’ parent group, STADA, and Sanofi for eight local consumer healthcare brands across several countries, including Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Spain and the UK. The transaction will be financed with a combination of cash on balance sheet and existing facilities, and is scheduled to close in the fourth quarter of 2023, subject to customary approvals of relevant regulatory authorities.


Opticrom Allergy 10ml bottle and 20 single doses for itchy, watery, red and inflamed eyes can be found behind the pharmacy counter, while Opticrom Hayfever 10ml bottle is available to purchase via self-selection to soothe and relieve eye symptoms of hayfever.

These non-prescription medicines contain 20 mg/1ml sodium cromoglicate (2.0% w/v) and offer relief within 2 minutes.

“Acquiring the rights to Opticrom from Sanofi further strengthens Thornton & Ross and STADA’s position as a leading supplier of consumer healthcare brands in the UK. We look forward to integrating Opticrom into our extensive sales, marketing and distribution network and to providing targeted support for the brand whilst ensuring business continuity and good service for our customers,” commented Thornton & Ross / STADA Head of UK & Mid-sized European markets Rudolf Baer.

Adding Opticrom as an established over-the-counter brand further rounds out Thornton & Ross’ extensive consumer healthcare offering to its retail partners and their customers. The UK-based manufacturer is already a significant partner in therapeutic categories such as cough and cold with Covonia and Tixylix; and dermatology with Cetraben, Eurax, Flexitol, Metanium, Nizoral and Savlon. Other category-leading brands include the comprehensive Care range, Hedrin head-lice treatments, and Zoflora disinfectants.

Opticrom forms part of a basket of consumer brands that STADA has acquired from Sanofi across several countries. These include: Antistax for pain relief and tiredness in legs; the allergy eye drops Lomudal; Omnivit vitamins; and the nasal hygiene spray Physiomer. Further, the two painkillers AAS and Dolalgial, as well as Bila-Git for gallbladder complaints. 

“We are pleased to continue our collaboration with Sanofi. This acquisition further strengthens STADA as a top-four player in Europe’s consumer healthcare market and supports our growth acceleration along our purpose of “Caring for People’s Health as a Trusted Partner,” commented STADA’s CEO, Peter Goldschmidt.

“As a broad-based European player with a strong presence in local markets, STADA is a go-to partner in consumer healthcare,” Goldschmidt highlighted. “The brands being acquired, and their geographic presence, are well aligned and synergistic with the organic activities in STADA’s core countries.”

STADA’s European Head Stephan Eder outlined: “This acquisition is the next step towards being the leader in local market brands. STADA’s extensive sales, marketing and distribution network throughout Europe, along with our long-established partnerships with pharmacists, will enable the group to grow these brands by also developing additional offerings. By further developing these well-known brands, we are strengthening our compelling and comprehensive offering to customers across our three strategic pillars: Consumer Healthcare, Specialty and Generics in key, predominantly Western European countries.”

STADA’s acquisition of further consumer brands from Sanofi is the latest example of the implementation of an ongoing successful business-development strategy. This was preceded by a transaction for 16 brands from Sanofi in 2021, as well as an agreement with Sanofi about the distribution of Sanofi's consumer healthcare portfolio in 10 countries in Central Asia in 2022. Furthermore, STADA previously took over 15 well-established consumer healthcare brands from GSK across more than 40 countries and multiple therapeutic areas in 2020. STADA also in 2020 strengthened its portfolio of vitamin, mineral and supplement (VMS) products by acquiring Czech healthcare company Walmark, which has an international footprint.

More For You

Janet Morrison: "Eventual outcome of spending review needs to tackle pharmacy underfunding"

Janet Morrison

Janet Morrison: "Eventual outcome of spending review needs to tackle pharmacy underfunding"

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) chief executive Janet Morrison has welcomed chancellor Rachel Reeves announcement today that day-to-day spending on the NHS will increase by £29bn a year but insisted that it must reflect in securing the future of pharmacy.

Reeves also revealed that the government will be increasing the NHS technology budget by almost 50 per cent, with £10bn of investment to "bring our analogue health system into the digital age, including through the NHS app".

Keep ReadingShow less
Lynsey Cleland named GPhC chief standards officer

Lynsey Cleland

Pic credit: X

Lynsey Cleland named GPhC chief standards officer

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has brought back Lynsey Cleland to lead on a number of important departments in the role of chief standards officer.

Cleland had previously held a number of senior positions at GPhC, including director of Scotland.

Keep ReadingShow less
Day Lewis celebrates 50 years of delivering care to communities

The Patel family at the unveiling of the commemorative plaque ceremony

Day Lewis celebrates 50 years of delivering care to communities

Day Lewis honoured "the people, purpose and partnerships" as it celebrated 50 years of service by unveiling a commemorative plaque at the company’s support office in Croydon.

As one of the UK’s largest independent pharmacy chains, Day Lewis has delivered trusted care to communities across the country since it was founded in 1975, by brothers Kirit and JC Patel, who was on hand to unveil the plaque.

Keep ReadingShow less
CPE said the committee’s discussions are fully shaped by pharmacy owners’ views and experiences

CPE said the committee’s discussions are fully shaped by pharmacy owners’ views and experiences

Pic credit: iStock

Pharmacy owners asked to share views on new contract and its financial implications

Pharmacy owners can share their thoughts on service developments and their financial security before the upcoming Community Pharmacy England (CPE) committee meeting to be held on June 25 and 26.

The new Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) was completed in March with the various service and regulatory changes still in progress.

Keep ReadingShow less
Cancer treatment impact

There have been supply issues with Creon since the summer of 2024

Pic credit: iStock

Cancer patients struggle amid digestive drug shortage

Pharmacists in the Channel Islands have revealed that there is a shortage of a drug used to support digestion in cancer patients.

Creon is a pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), which helps people living with conditions such as cystic fibrosis, pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer to digest food.

Keep ReadingShow less