What Cooper does

Cooper (legal name: Coopération Pharmaceutique Française, abbreviated COOPER) is a French pharmaceutical laboratory founded in 1907 by community pharmacists (pharmaciens d'officine) and headquartered in Melun, France. The company operates as a private Société par Actions Simplifiée (SAS) with €113,025,749 in share capital and is part of the Cooper Consumer Health holding group. Its core business is the development, manufacture, and distribution of over-the-counter (OTC) healthcare products, medical devices, and cosmetics, with the Pouxit anti-lice product family (sprays, lotions, mousse, protective sprays, repellents, and a nit-removal balm) as its flagship franchise and most heavily merchandised category.

Cooper's technology is grounded in proprietary pharmaceutical formulations rather than software or AI. Differentiated active ingredients include Activdiol (a physical-mode anti-lice agent), dimeticone + penetrol combinations delivering 15-minute application efficacy, the patented Protectdiol active for preventive lice protection, an isononyl isononanoate-based nit-removal balm claiming 10x efficacy vs. combing alone, and Citriodiol 10% repellent. Beyond Pouxit, Cooper markets a multi-brand portfolio (Baccide, Actipoche, Etiaxil, Insect Ecran, Mag 2, Oenobiol, Osmosoft, Sedorrhoide, Torm) covering hygiene, dermatology, magnesium supplementation, insect repellency, beauty nutrition, and hemorrhoid care.

Cooper distributes products through three channels: (1) the French pharmacy network (~22,000 pharmacies via traditional wholesale and a dedicated professional portal at cooper.fr), (2) hospitals, clinics, and laboratories (HCL) for medical devices and clinical supplies, and (3) industrial B2B supply of raw materials to pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food/agro-industry clients. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the company monetizes through unit sales across its brand portfolio and pharmacy wholesale. Its growth has been driven by serial acquisitions (Vemedia in 2016, Diepharmex Laboratories in 2019) backed by Esas Private Equity (2015) and by category extensions within the lice-treatment franchise.

Name

Cooper

Legal name

Coopération Pharmaceutique Française en abrégé COOPER

Website

https://cooper.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cooper is a French OTC pharmaceutical laboratory founded in 1907, part of Cooper Consumer Health, that develops and distributes pharmacy-grade consumer health products (most notably the Pouxit anti-lice franchise) and a multi-brand portfolio across hygiene, dermatology, supplements, and repellents to roughly 22,000 French pharmacies, hospitals, and industrial clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

akta.pro primary industry

Cold, Flu, Cough & Allergy Remedies (Decongestants, Antihistamines, Cough Syrups, Lozenges) (CRADAMAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hand Sanitizers & Antibacterial Personal Care (CRADANAI), Probiotics & Digestive Health Supplements (CRADAGAF)

Keywords

• Pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Lice treatment products
• OTC healthcare products
• Personal care products
• Dermatological products

Headquarters

HQ city

Melun

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Cooper is a French pharmaceutical laboratory founded in 1907 that develops, manufactures, and distributes OTC healthcare, hygiene, dermatological, and personal care products. Its core commercial focus is the Pouxit anti-lice treatment range, complemented by brands such as Baccide (hand hygiene), Etiaxil (antiperspirant), Insect Ecran (insect repellent), Mag 2 (magnesium supplements), Oenobiol (beauty/nutrition), and Sedorrhoide (hemorrhoid treatment). It also offers raw material supply and subcontracting manufacturing services to the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries.

Product overview

Cooper is a French pharmaceutical laboratory primarily serving pharmacies (officine), hospitals/clinics/laboratories (HCL), and industries in pharmacy, cosmetics, and agri-food sectors. The company offers a diversified consumer health product portfolio through its Cooper Consumer Health division, including the Pouxit product line (anti-lice treatments available as lotions, sprays, mousse, and protective/repellent products), as well as various health brands such as Baccide, Actipoche, Etiaxil, Insect Ecran, Mag 2, Oenobiol, Osmosoft, Sedorrhoide, and Torm. The Pouxit range includes treatments for active infestations (Pouxit Classic, Pouxit XF, Pouxit Easy) and preventive products (Pouxit Protect, Pouxit Repulsif), along with Pouxit Decolleur de Lentes for nit removal. Products are distributed through France's network of 22,000 pharmacies and are also available for hospital and industrial clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pouxit: Anti-lice treatment product line including sprays, lotions, and repellents for adults and children.
• Baccide
• Actipoche
• Etiaxil
• Insect Ecran
• Mag 2
• Oenobiol
• Osmosoft
• Sedorrhoide
• Torm

Products and services

• Pouxit Easy 100 ml - anti-lice treatment mousse Mousse-format anti-lice treatment for the whole family, based on the proprietary Activdiol active ingredient. Designed for at-home lice removal by consumers purchasing through French pharmacies.
• Pouxit XF Spray 100 ml - anti-lice treatment spray (15 minutes) Anti-lice spray offering a fast 15-minute application, based on Dimeticone and Penetrol physical-action technology. Positioned for consumers needing quick lice treatment through the French pharmacy channel.
• Pouxit XF 200 ml - anti-lice treatment lotion (15 minutes) Larger 200 ml bottle of the Pouxit XF anti-lice lotion using Dimeticone + Penetrol with a 15-minute application. Marketed for families or repeated treatments through French pharmacies.
• Pouxit XF 100 ml - anti-lice treatment lotion (15 minutes) Standard 100 ml anti-lice lotion using Dimeticone + Penetrol with 15-minute application time. Targeted at consumers seeking a fast-acting lice treatment through pharmacy resale.
• Pouxit Spray 100 ml - anti-lice treatment spray (1 hour) Anti-lice spray format with a one-hour application time. Distributed through French community pharmacies as part of the Pouxit anti-lice range.
• Pouxit Repulsif 75 ml - preventive anti-lice spray Preventive spray using Citriodiol 10% (PMD-rich) natural-origin repellent to help prevent head-lice infestations. Targeted at families and school-age children through French pharmacies.
• Pouxit Lotion 250 ml - anti-lice treatment lotion Large 250 ml bottle of the legacy Pouxit anti-lice lotion, distributed through French community pharmacies for full-family lice treatment cycles.
• Pouxit Lotion 100 ml - anti-lice treatment lotion Standard 100 ml bottle of the legacy Pouxit anti-lice lotion, distributed through French community pharmacies.
• Pouxit Protect 200 ml - daily preventive spray Daily-use preventive spray based on the proprietary Protectdiol formulation. Marketed for routine anti-lice protection and distributed through French pharmacies.
• Pouxit Decolleur de Lentes 100 g + Peigne - nit removal treatment with comb Nit (lente) dissolver using an isononyl isononanoate-based formula, supplied with a fine-tooth comb. Used as a complementary step to detach and remove nits after lice treatment.
• Baccide - hand and surface hygiene range Brand range of hand and surface hygiene products (sanitizing gels and related formats). Distributed through French pharmacies and intended for both family and professional hygiene use.
• Etiaxil - antiperspirant / dermatological range Antiperspirant and dermatological care range for excessive sweating and related skin conditions. Sold through French pharmacies as a self-care dermatological brand.
• Insect Ecran - insect repellent range Range of insect repellent products (skin and/or clothing application) for protection against mosquitoes and other biting insects, leveraging the Citriodiol-based repellent technology. Distributed through French pharmacies.
• Mag 2 - magnesium dietary supplement range Magnesium-based dietary supplement range addressing fatigue, stress, and mineral deficiency. Sold as a food supplement through French pharmacies.
• Oenobiol - beauty and nutrition range Nutricosmetics and beauty nutrition range covering skin, hair, and slimming nutrition. Distributed through French pharmacies as a beauty-from-within offering.
• Sedorrhoide - hemorrhoid treatment range Topical treatment range for hemorrhoid symptoms. Distributed through French pharmacies as an OTC self-care brand.
• Industrial services for pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries B2B industrial service offering raw material supply and subcontracting manufacturing for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industry clients. Accessed through Cooper's dedicated industry portal.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stada Arzneimittel: European specialty OTC and generics group with broad pharmacy-distributed consumer health portfolio. Comparable in multi-brand OTC roll-up strategy and European geographic footprint.
• Omega Pharma (Perrigo): Belgian-headquartered OTC consumer health group, now part of Perrigo, with a comparable European pharmacy-distributed portfolio of niche consumer health brands and parallel anti-lice product lines. Directly comparable on distribution model and category focus.
• Boiron: French homeopathic and OTC pharmaceutical laboratory listed in France with a large pharmacy distribution footprint. Comparable as a France-anchored, pharmacy-channel-driven, multi-brand consumer health laboratory.
• Pierre Fabre: French pharmaceutical and dermo-cosmetic laboratory with OTC pharmacy brands distributed primarily through French pharmacies. Comparable as a France-anchored, multi-brand consumer health player with strong pharmacist-channel relationships.
• Urgo Group: French family-owned healthcare company with OTC pharmacy brands (Urgo, Alvityl, Magné B6) sold through French pharmacies. Comparable on geography, channel, and portfolio breadth across OTC categories.

Emerging players

• Vemedia Pharma: Dutch specialty OTC company acquired by Cooper in 2016; historically a peer in European niche OTC brands before consolidation. Useful as a comparable in consumer health M&A roll-up logic.
• Diepharmex Laboratories: Swiss specialty OTC company acquired by Cooper in 2019. Previously an independent European OTC peer with similar category breadth and pharmacy-channel distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Reckitt Benckiser (Health): Global OTC and consumer health company (Nurofen, Gaviscon, Dettol) with significant pharmacy presence. Adjacent through shared OTC channel and hygiene product overlap (Dettol vs. Baccide).
• Bayer Consumer Health: Global OTC incumbent with broad pharmacy-channel portfolio including anti-lice products. Overlaps with Cooper in lice treatment category but operates across many more geographies and categories.
• Sanofi Consumer Healthcare: Global pharmaceutical major with a sizeable French and European OTC consumer health business. Comparable through OTC pharmacy distribution and magnesium/supplement category overlap (Mag 2 vs. Sanofi's supplements).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laboratoires-cooper

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cooper