Bayer HealthCare announced that its consumer care division has received regulatory approvals necessary to acquire the Citracal line of over-the-counter (OTC) calcium supplements in the United States. The US portion of the transaction with Mission Pharmacal was closed Thursday evening at which point Bayer assumed full management of the business in the US.

As indicated earlier this year when the proposed acquisition was announced, the addition of Citracal increases Bayer consumer care's market presence in the United States, the world's largest OTC market. It will also continue to build upon the company's already strong nutritionals business, which includes leading brands such as One-A-Day, Supradyn, Berocca and Redoxon, according to a company press release.

"We're excited to take ownership of the Citracal brand as it offers very attractive growth potential both in the critically important US market and for our nutritionals portfolio, which is a key growth driver for us now and in the future," said, Gary Balkema, president, Consumer Care Division, Bayer HealthCare.

Citracal is primarily sold in North America and saw net sales of $47.0 million (EUR 36.2 million) for fiscal year 2007.

Bayer HealthCare, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, is one of the world's leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Diabetes Care and Pharmaceuticals divisions. The pharmaceuticals business operates under the name Bayer Schering Pharma and as Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals in the US and Canada. Bayer HealthCare's aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human and animal health worldwide.

The Consumer Care Division of Bayer HealthCare LLC, is headquartered in
Morristown, New Jersey, USA. Bayer's Consumer Care Division is among the largest marketers of over-the-counter medications and nutritional supplements in the world.