Walgreens and Alliance Boots Announce Strategic, Long-Term Relationship with AmerisourceBergen

– Walgreens expands its existing relationship into 10-year agreement with AmerisourceBergen for pharmaceutical distribution

– AmerisourceBergen to collaborate with Walgreens and Alliance Boots on global supply chain opportunities

– Walgreens and Alliance Boots together to have rights to acquire minority equity position in AmerisourceBergen

DEERFIELD, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Walgreen Co. (NYS: WAG) (NAS: WAG) , the largest retail drugstore chain in the United States, and Alliance Boots GmbH, a leading international pharmacy-led health and beauty group, today announced that they have entered into an innovative long-term partnership with AmerisourceBergen, one of North America‘s largest pharmaceutical services companies.

This relationship will enable Walgreens, Alliance Boots and AmerisourceBergen to benefit from greater scale and global opportunities and work together on programs to improve service levels and efficiencies, while reducing costs and increasing patient access to pharmaceuticals. Together these three companies will help address global health care challenges by making it easier for manufacturers to bring products to market; increasing accessibility to the benefits of global sourcing and best practices for community pharmacies; and providing patients with better access to health care. The collaboration will also generate opportunities to attract partners in new markets and prospects in existing markets around the globe.

“Today’s announcement marks another step forward in establishing an unprecedented and efficient global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing network, and achieving our vision of becoming the first choice in health and daily living for everyone in America and beyond,” said Gregory Wasson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Walgreens. “We are excited to be expanding our existing relationship with AmerisourceBergen to a 10-year strategic long-term contract, representing another transformational step in the pharmaceutical supply chain. We believe this relationship will create a wide range of opportunities and innovations in the rapidly changing U.S. and global health care environment that we expect will benefit all of our stakeholders.”

“This agreement with AmerisourceBergen, which we consider to be the best-positioned pharmaceutical wholesaler in North America, is a promising development for Walgreens and Alliance Boots following the formation of our strategic partnership last year,” said Stefano Pessina, Executive Chairman of Alliance Boots. “We strongly believe that our new partnership with AmerisourceBergen will deliver long-term shareholder value by creating an unmatched network of companies that is well positioned to anticipate increasing market needs and expectations across the world. Together we will bring tailored solutions to business partners, including manufacturers …read more
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