Chaintrier Avocats advises CERP Rhin Rhône Méditerranée on its merger with CERP Rouen

Chaintrier Avocats advised France’s 4th largest pharmaceutical distributor, CERP Rhin Rhône Méditerranée, on its merger with CERP Rouen (a subsidiary of the Astera cooperative group), first on the notification of the transaction and then on the subsequent partial transfer of assets.

This merger between the 4th and 2nd largest French players in the market gives the new entity a 31.5% market share and sales of nearly €8 billion.

CERP RRM (Confraternelle d’Exploitation et de Répartition Pharmaceutique) is the leading wholesaler-distributor in eastern France and currently serves several thousand pharmacies between Alsace and the Mediterranean coast.

The new entity will be called CERP and will be governed under the joint control of Astera and CERP Rhin Rhône Méditerranée.

CERP Rhin Rhône Méditerranée was advised on this transaction by Arnaud Moquin, antitrust and corporate partner, assisted by Bastien Reverbel, corporate lawyer.

Luc Julien Saint-Amand, partner at Valoris-Avocats, advised CERP Rouen.