03 May 2018: Medical biology
The Autorité de la concurrence clears the acquisition of the Bio 7 group by the Cerba group
On 26 March 2018, the Cerba Galeries group notified the Autorité de la concurrence of its plan to acquire the Bio 7 group.
Parties to the transaction
Cerba is mainly active in the medical biology sector through an international network of medical biology labs, 289 of which are located in France. The group is also active in the specialized medical biological analysis services, veterinarian analysis, biological sample supply, clinical biology trials and medical assessments linked to insurance subscriptions.
Bio 7 is a group active in the medical biology sector through a network of 94 medical biology laboratories in France. Bio 7 also owns medical biology laboratories in Belgium.
The analysis carried out by the Autorité has found that the transaction is not likely to harm competition
The activities carried by Cerba and Bio 7 overlap in the medical biology markets in Île-de-France.
Nonetheless, the analysis of the transaction ruled out any potential competition issue. Indeed, the parties’ positions after the transaction will remain limited in Yvelines, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val d’Oise.
In the Essonne département, where the highest number of Bio 7 laboratories is located, any competition issue could be ruled out insofar as the market share of the entity remains inferior to 50%, the fact that for every Cerba laboratory there are at least two competitors located in the proximity throughout the département and, lastly, that the competitor laboratories belong to groups with a significant presence throughout the entire Île-de-France region (Biopath, Biolab, Medibiolab) as well as in France and worldwide (Eurofins).
> See the full text of Decision 18-DCC-70 of 2 May 2018
> Press contact : Chloé Duretete +33 1 55 04 01 20 / Email