GfK Group expands US Healthcare activities

The GfK Group has acquired a stake of 51 per cent in leading pharma market research specialists V2 in Pennsylvania, USA. The acquisition gives GfK access to the world's leading market for information services relating to pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and medical diagnostics.

V2 was founded by Dr. Richard B. Vanderveer in 1994 and now has a client base which includes Pfizer, Novartis, Aventis, Allergan and GlaxoSmithKline. In the USA, V2 is the largest independent specialist ad hoc market researcher for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, with 59 full-time employees and sales of approx. USD 24.7 million in 2002. The company ranks no. 30 in the Honomichl Top 50 US market research companies.

The company will trade under the name V2 GfK, LLC and will be consolidated in GfK's group statements from 1 July onwards. It also conducts international surveys in Europe, Central and South America and Japan.

According to Vanderveer, who to date was the sole owner of V2, 'V2 has been very successful in recent years and has made an excellent name for itself among global pharmaceutical and healthcare companies as a top research firm. As a result of our co-operation with GfK, its global network and products will enable us to offer our customers altogether more comprehensive services on an international level in the future'.

Wilhelm R. Wessels, the GfK Management Board member responsible for GfK HealthCare, says that the majority stake in V2 is a milestone in GfK's bid to lead the way in global healthcare market research. 'It enables us to enter the largest national healthcare market in the world and the centre of pharmaceutical research and development... and consolidate our competitive position in international research in the long term'.

The Healthcare Division towards which this is a major step would be GfK's fifth division. GfK forecasts sales of around EUR 50 million in this segment in 2003. On the basis of pro forma statements and full-year consolidation of V2 sales for financial year 2003, HealthCare would be as big as the Media division, giving it a very solid foundation.

GfK Healthcare's network already includes a number of companies acquired in the last two years:

• I+G Nürnberg, now called GfK HealthCare
• GPI-Kommunikationsforschung, also in 2002
• the healthcare activities of Martin Hamblin GfK HealthCare in the UK (2001) and its US branch Martin Hamblin GfK Research
• GfK companies IHA·IMS Health in Switzerland and GfK Animal Health UK
• a minority shareholding in m2A in France.

US companies are estimated to commission more than 60 per cent of the worldwide volume of EUR 900 million for ad hoc marketing research in pharmaceutical and healthcare markets.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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