• Otsuka Pharmaceutical subsidiary Nutrition & Santé, engaged in the production and sale of functional foods and nutrition products, has acquired a business specializing in gluten-free nutrition from the multinational dairy conglomerate, Lactalis.
• With the recognition that more than 1% of Europeans suffer from celiac disease^*1, the market for gluten-free products, made with soy, corn or rice flours, containing no wheat, is steadily growing.
• By acquiring a pioneer of gluten- and allergen-free nutrition, Nutrition & Santé obtains an integrated organization for the development, production and sale of gluten-free products.

Tokyo, Japan -- Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan; President: Taro Iwamoto) has announced the acquisition by subsidiary Nutrition & Santé (Head office: Revel, France; hereafter N&S) of the Valpiform company, formerly a member of the multinational dairy conglomerate, Lactalis Group. Valpiform is engaged in the production and sale of gluten-free and allergy-free nutrition products. The acquisition was completed on December 28, 2012.

Established in 1990, Valpiform is a pioneer and French leader in gluten-free and allergen-free nutrition. The company owns a state-of-the-art facility for manufacturing allergen-free food products. Approximately 40% of Valpiform sales are exported from France, with particularly strong markets in Italy and Benelux.
N&S has commissioned Valpiform for manufacturing of gluten-free products since 2007, with sales in this category quadrupling　over the past five years. The acquisition of Valpiform gives N&S an integrated organization for the development, production and sale of gluten-free products, creating a strong platform for timely expansion of the gluten-free nutrition business.

In response to allergic reactions to gliadin, a gluten protein found in wheat and certain other cereal grains, gluten-free foods are primarily produced using soy, corn or rice flour. In many European countries, celiac patients who suffer from this allergic reaction are able to obtain health insurance reimbursement for gluten-free foods, and the market for gluten-free products is growing steadily, year-on-year.

In reinforcing its position in gluten-free products, N&S, operating in over 40 countries worldwide, including Europe, seeks to enhance its position as a leader of the health and functional nutrition business.

• *1：Celiac disease：Intolerance to gliadin (gluten protein) causes chronic inflammation of the lining of the small intestine. Typical symptoms include malabsorption, anemia, diarrhea, and bone-ache. Approximately 1% of the European population (approximately 5 million people) have been diagnosed with celiac disease. (www.idace.eu/gluten-free-foods)

Valpiform SAS

Nutrition & Santé SAS