The Middle East healthcare industry continues to attract international investors… Marubeni acquires a minority stake in Lunatus, a Middle East healthcare turnkey solutions provider

The fast-growing Middle East healthcare industry, driven by the increase in healthcare-related expenditures from both the public and private sectors, fuels the interest of international companies looking to invest in this growing sector in the Middle East in general and the UAE in particular.

Marubeni Corporation (hereinafter, “Marubeni”) and Lunatus Marketing & Consulting FZCO (hereinafter, “Lunatus”) have announced that Marubeni invested and acquired shares in Dubai Based Lunatus.

Lunatus, one of the largest and fastest-growing pharmaceutical companies in the MENA region, is a market-leading turnkey solutions provider that handles regulatory, marketing, sales, distribution, and supply chain management for international pharmaceutical & medical device companies. Marubeni, a leading Japanese integrated trading and investment business conglomerate, has its healthcare & medical industry business network in China(*1), ASEAN(*2), etc. with the intention to expand the network globally, Marubeni identifies the growth potential in pharmaceutical-related business and medical service businesses in the Middle East.

Through the broad regional Lunatus network, Marubeni will bridge the Japan-Middle East markets and will bring Japanese high-quality pharmaceuticals and medical devices to the Middle East to accommodate the increasing demand in the region. Moreover, by leveraging their joint expertise, Marubeni and Lunatus intend to explore expanding the business across the other emerging markets including ASEAN and Africa.

Mr. Eisuke Kamide, General Manager of Marubeni’s Healthcare & Medical Business Department, commented: “We are proud to form a strategic alliance partnership with Lunatus, and will continue exploring opportunities in the Middle East pharmaceutical market. Marubeni is focused on the MENA market which has a large growth potential, and this transaction will enable us to expand our pharmaceutical and medical device business network from China to the Middle East and Africa. Through these efforts, we would like to reduce the healthcare disparity globally and regionally, bringing value to all patients, families, and stakeholders.

Dr. Lina Kouatly, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lunatus commented: “Over the last 19 years, we have built one of the largest regional pharmaceutical companies spanning the GCC and Levant regions. We are thrilled to partner with Marubeni in further consolidating and expanding our footprint as we explore unique growth opportunities regionally and in the Asian markets. This transaction presents a unique strategic opportunity to partner alongside Marubeni, a global conglomerate, in further growing the Lunatus brand.”

(*1) Marubeni formed a joint venture called “Fobeni Healthcom Pharmaceutical Jiangsu Co., Ltd.” with Chinese pharmaceutical company “Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (group)”.

(https://www.marubeni.com/en/news/2017/release/00020.html)

(*2) One of the examples of medical service businesses is the one in which Marubeni invested in Indonesia’s leading hospital operator “PT Slioam International Hospitals Tbk.”

(https://www.marubeni.com/en/news/2020/release/2020022502E.pdf)