Sopharma AD, Bulgaria"s leading medicine producer, is planning a number of acquisitions in Romania, Serbia, Ukraine and Poland in 2008 in a bid to boost sales and profit, CEO Ognian Donev announced without releasing details. According to him, Sopharma sales will grow at least 20% this year, after a 72% growth in 2007 to some 280 million USD.
Sopharma controls 20% of the market for generic medicines in Bulgaria, which is set to increase to nearly 300 million EUR by 2010 from 200 million EUR in 2005. Romania"s counterpart market will double to 800 million EUR by 2010. Sopharma is also planning to invest some 80 million EUR to expand production capacities in Bulgaria. The company currently exports 60% of its output to 28 countries including Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Latvia and Kazakhstan.