Dr. Max buys Italy's Farmacie Italiane, passing 300 stores in the country

What's the deal? Dr. MaxDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the pharmacy chain owned by Penta InvestmentsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, has acquired Italian company Farmacie ItalianeDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, which operates 44 pharmacies, four parapharmacies, and the Loreto GalloDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → e-commerce site. The companies did not disclose the transaction value.

Why now? The deal follows Dr. Max's record 2025, when it became Europe's largest chain by number of owned pharmacies. Farmacie Italiane reported revenue of €219 million in 2025.

What's the endgame? The acquisition pushes Dr. Max past 300 stores in Italy and strengthens its position in the market. The company operates more than 3,300 pharmacies across six European countries.

Chief executive officer Leonardo Ferrandino called the deal "a milestone on the path to Dr. Max's international growth," adding that the group is continuing to invest in people and key markets.

What could go wrong? The deal still needs approval from Italy's antitrust authority before it can close.

The signal: Dr. Max — owned by billionaires Marek Dospiva and Jaroslav Haščák — is doubling down on Italy, where market reports suggest it is also preparing a possible bid for Hippocrates HoldingDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the country's largest pharmacy network.

Read more: Forbes Czech Republic

Image credit: My name's axel