UDG buys Galliard and Nyxeon

Marketing firm UDG Healthcare has added to its growing list of business with the acquisition of the agencies Galliard and Nyxeon.

Dublin-headquartered UDG will spend a maximum of £13m for the two agencies' parent company MFRHRC Holdings, payable over the next three years.

Specialist healthcare and scientific PR businesses Galliard and Nyxeon will sit within UDG's global healthcare communications business, Ashfield Healthcare Communications. Their acquisition adds capabilities in data driven healthcare and scientific public relations to the growing UDG portfolio.

London-based Galliard and Nyxeon employ 33 people, providing services to global pharmaceutical companies, healthcare-related organisations and charities. Services offered include: media relations, issues management, scientific and medical education, and corporate and employee communications.

Commenting on the announcement, Roland Carreras, managing partner of Galliard said: “We are delighted to be joining Ashfield Healthcare Communications, which is becoming a powerhouse in healthcare sales and marketing.”

“The deal sets the scene for the next stage in our growth and we look forward to working with Ashfield's strong stable of medical education agencies.”

Liam Fitzgerald, UDG's chief executive, said that he was delighted to announce the acquisition.

“This purchase is fully aligned with our global growth strategy of extending the range of services we offer in high value multichannel healthcare communications and follows the successful acquisitions of InforMed, Watermeadow and more recently, Knowledgepoint360.”