SFI Acquires Ginsana from Pharmaton to Strengthen Global Position in Clinically Proven Natural Medicine

BIOGGIO, Switzerland, July 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Pharmaton and Soho Flordis International (SFI), an international provider of clinically proven natural medicines, announced today the acquisition of Ginsana SA, a leader and innovator in natural medicine products. The acquisition from Pharmaton, a company of the Boehringer Ingelheim Group, marks an important milestone in establishing SFI as the leading global provider of clinically proven natural medicine.

With superior expertise, state-of-the-art facilities and a complementary line of six natural medicine brands with significant growth potential, Ginsana helps SFI advance an extensive product portfolio and new product pipeline through a strong network of international distributors.  These capabilities will enhance SFI's Mission to give healthcare professionals and patients access to the best natural medicines supported by clinical studies. Ginsana will continue to market its products under the Ginsana brand name and manufacture Pharmaton products for the Boehringer Ingelheim Group. The trademark rights of Pharmaton remain at Pharmaton.

"We are very pleased to have reached this agreement with SFI that will strengthen the strategic positioning of Ginsana products in the world markets and ensure our product supply in the years to come" said Jochen Gann, member of the Verwaltungsrat of Ginsana and Head of Corporate Finance at Boehringer Ingelheim.

Ginsana headquarters near Lugano in Switzerland will become an SFI centre for product development, manufacturing and rapid commercialisation through its worldwide distributor network.

In a corresponding move, SFI today announced the acquisition of ProThera, a nutritionally focused healthcare company based in Nevada, U.S., to further build global distribution and gain entry into the U.S. health care professional market and the growing field of probiotics.

"The parallel acquisition of Ginsana and ProThera has not only extended our network and pipeline of natural medicine brands with great legacy, it allows us to enter into the attractive field of probiotics," said SFI CEO, Nigel Pollard. "Building on our success in the southern hemisphere - in Australia and South Africa - we have now established a strong foundation for expansion in the northern hemisphere and its main markets, the U.S., Europe, Middle East and Asia. Switzerland is the ideal location to reflect SFI's dedication to innovation and the advancement of natural medicines through healthcare professionals."

About SFI

Soho Flordis International (SFI) is an international provider of clinically proven natural medicines. An Australian registered company, SFI is committed to ensuring that people globally have access to the best natural medicines supported by clinical studies performed on the exact finished product. Rather than basing claims on highly variable ingredients this higher standard enables the selection of safe, appropriate and effective treatments.

SFI is expanding its global presence to achieve its Vision of building the world's first global brands focused on bringing quality, evidence-based natural medicines to market through healthcare professionals, supported by leading edge research and endorsed by world-class opinion leaders.

About Ginsana

Ginsana SA, located in Bioggio (Switzerland), owned by Pharmaton, a Boehringer Ingelheim Group company  operates in the high-quality natural health sector, comprising pharmaceutical grade products made using natural substances and extracts. Ginsana's products are the result of the most rigorous scientific research and the experience acquired over many years as well as the skills developed within the Boehringer Ingelheim Group.

About ProThera

ProThera Incorporated is a nutritionally focused healthcare company that specialises in the formulation and manufacture of high grade nutraceuticals and probiotics for exclusive use by healthcare professionals for their patients.

Media Contact
SFI
Richard Gerstenberg, Director Integration
Phone: +41-91-610-3111
Email: richard.gerstenberg@sfihealth.com

Ginsana
Dr. Andrea Abbatelli, Director Human Resources & Services
Phone: +41-91-610-3751
Email: abbatelli@ginsana.ch

Boehringer Ingelheim
Julia Löffelsend, External Communication
Phone: +49-6132-77-143548
Email: julia.loeffelsend@boehringer-ingelheim.com