Aurobindo Pharma to sell US arm to New Mountain Capital for Rs 4,048 crore

Aurobindo Pharma had acquired Natrol in December 2014.

The drug firm has reached a definitive agreement to sell Natrol, a unit of Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc, to an affiliate of New Mountain Capital to combine with Jarrow Formulas, Aurobindo Pharma said in a statement.

The all-cash transaction is valued at USD 550 Million (or Rs 4,048 crore at the current exchange rate), it added.

Subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, the transaction is expected to close by January 2021, the Hyderabad-based firm said.

Natrol''s annual sales for the 12 months ended March 31, 2020, stood at around USD 157 million.

Natrol has been a consistently profitable business, growing on all fronts under Aurobindo''s ownership, the drug firm said.

"Aurobindo is committed to evaluating and concluding strategic options towards focused portfolio enhancement with the ultimate objective of enhancing stakeholder values. We are pleased to sell the Natrol business to an outstanding private equity player, who could focus additional resources to grow Natrol, its products and brands further," Aurobindo Pharma Managing Director N Govindarajan said.

He added that proceeds from Natrol''s divestiture will be used to reduce debt and other new strategic initiatives.

Founded in 1980 as a cosmetics company, Natrol has evolved over the past several decades into a pioneer in nutraceuticals segment.