US buyout firm GTCR has agreed to acquire Prague-based drugmaker Zentiva for about €4.1 billion (roughly CZK 100bn), the Financial Times reports, citing people familiar with the matter. The FT says the price — which includes debt — was agreed with Zentiva’s current owner, Advent International, and the deal is expected to be announced in the coming days.

The reported sale represents a sizable uplift from the €1.9bn Advent paid in 2018. Indian company Aurobindo Pharma had also been reported as a potential bidder, and earlier media speculation put a possible price as high as $5.5bn. GTCR manages about $46.7bn of assets and has long targeted healthcare investments; it previously showed interest in rival Stada, which was recently bought by CapVest for €10bn.

Zentiva, spun out of Sanofi in 2017 and sold in 2018, is a major European generics manufacturer with products across pain, cardiovascular, CNS, GI, urinary/sexual health and respiratory care. It operates in more than 30 countries and employs nearly 4,800 people, about 1,500 in the Czech Republic. LSEG Intelligence data show global healthcare deal volume reached $198bn through end-August, up 2% year-on-year. #Zentiva #GTCR #pharma #M&A #FiatNews