Nestle buys UK-based CM&D Pharma

Swiss food giant Nestle has acquired CM&D Pharma, a UK-based drug maker that specialises in the development of products tailored for patients with kidney disease, for an undisclosed amount.

Nestle through its subsidiary Nestle Health Science has completed the acquisition of CM&D Pharma, the Swiss firm said in a statement without disclosing the financial details.

The acquisition of CM&D comes just a month after Nestle Health Science became operational. CM&D, a small company started in 2007 by former Sinclair Pharma PLC executive Danilo Massari, focuses on the research and development, and marketing and sales of foods for special medical purposes.

The company's leading product Fostrap - medical food in the form of a chewing gum for kidney patients - is currently at late stage trials.

"This acquisition is an excellent fit with Nestle Health Sciences strategic goal of being a pioneer in the promising area of science-based nutrition.

We share CM&D's commitment to use health science for improving the quality of peoples' lives, and this acquisition will help to reinforce our position in this opportunity.

"Additionally, CM&D will benefit from Nestle Health Science's commitment to biomedical research, and the resources of the Nestle Institute of Health Sciences," said.

Luis Cantarell, President and CEO at Nestle Health Science. Nestle Health Science is made up of the medical-nutrition business that the Swiss foods giant acquired from Novartis AG for $ 2.5 billion in 2007. Nestle, which has annual sales of more than $ 100 billion, had been an investor in CM&D through Inventages before buying it.

According to industry experts, targetted health products as the next big thing for the food industry, mainly in developed markets like the US and UK, with aging populations and rising medical costs.