Perrigo Company,a leading global provider of quality, affordable healthcare products, has signed a definitive merger agreement and completed the acquisition of Illinois-based Cobrek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Cobrek), a privately-held drug development company, for approximately $45 million on a cash free and debt free basis.

In May 2008, Perrigo acquired an 18.5 per cent minority stake in Cobrek in conjunction with entering into a product development collaborative partnership agreement with the company focused on foam dosage form generic pharmaceutical products. To date, the partnership has successfully yielded two commercialized foam-based products and an additional two US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved foam-based products awaiting date certain launches in Perrigo's fiscal year 2013. Cobrek primarily derives its earnings stream from profit shares on products partnered with Perrigo, who is responsible for all commercial activities under the existing collaboration agreement. As part of the transaction, Cobrek will forgo any profit share payments earned during Perrigo's fiscal second quarter 2013.

Perrigo Chairman, president and CEO Joseph C Papa stated, "We continue to market the only generic foam products in the US and expect to launch two additional products – generic versions of Luxiq (betamethasone valerate) Foam and Olux-E (clobetasol propionate) Foam 0.05 per cent – during this fiscal year, which is a testament to the challenges of this dosage form and success of our partnership with Cobrek. The partnership also boasts an additional Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) on file for a promising topical generic product. This acquisition allows us to capture the full economics going forward on our portfolio of prescription foams as well as maintain control over future development activities in this important category of extended topical products. Acquiring the remaining stake of Cobrek not already owned is the logical next step in this relationship and will allow us to continue to bring quality, affordable healthcare to our consumers and customers."

From its beginnings as a packager of generic home remedies in 1887, Allegan, Michigan-based Perrigo Company has grown to become a leading global provider of quality, affordable healthcare products. Perrigo develops, manufactures and distributes over-the-counter (OTC) and generic prescription (Rx) pharmaceuticals, infant formulas, nutritional products, dietary supplements and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API).