PB Pharma

What PB Pharma does

PB Pharma GmbH is a privately held German pharmaceutical company founded in 1998 and headquartered in Meerbusch, Germany. The company specializes in the parallel import and re-import of narcotics (Betäubungsmittel / BtM) and other pharmaceuticals from other EU countries into the German market, obtaining marketing authorization from BfArM (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte) for each imported product. It distributes over 500 pharmaceutical preparations across controlled substances, non-controlled substances, and refrigerated goods (2–8°C) segments, positioning itself among the leading suppliers of imported BtM products in Germany. Its own product lines include Painbreak (morphine sustained-release tablets, fentanyl patches, hydromorphone sustained-release tablets, oxycodone/naloxone sustained-release tablets) for pain therapy and Cyclocaps (salbutamol, budesonide, beclometasone) for asthma, the latter sold since 1996.

The business operates under GDP (Good Distribution Practice) and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) permits, with product quality verified by an internal Qualified Person before release. Technical safeguards include 2D data matrix codes for drug authentication, prescription drug serialization, and a documented SOP-driven quality assurance system. Revenue is generated through wholesale distribution to all major German pharmaceutical wholesalers (Phoenix, Gehe, Alliance Healthcare, Noweda, Pharma Private, AEP, Sanacorp) and direct sales to pharmacies via the MSV3 electronic ordering interface. Packaging, serialization, and logistics are handled by sister company PS Pharma Service GmbH; co-distribution and EU-wide morphine/fentanyl distribution (via Mutual Recognition Agreements) are handled by PS Marketing & Outsourcing GmbH. The company sits within the Semdor Pharma Group alongside its sister entities, is led by Managing Director David Henn, and reports 11–50 employees.

Pricing is contract-based and not publicly disclosed. The model exploits cross-EU price differentials to sell original branded pharmaceuticals at lower prices than domestic equivalents, capturing margin while contributing to statutory health insurance savings (the parallel-import market saves the German system roughly €330 million annually per Bundesverband der Pharmazeutischen Industrie 2021). GTM motion is hybrid: channel-partner-driven for broad reach and direct-to-pharmacy for BtM specialists, with marketing largely limited to a content website, DocCheck-protected professional access, and regulatory-mandated training materials.

Name

PB Pharma

Legal name

PB Pharma GmbH

Website

https://pbpharma.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PB Pharma GmbH is a German pharmaceutical importer and distributor founded in 1998, specializing in parallel and re-import of narcotics and other medicines for the German market, distributing 500+ products through major wholesalers and direct pharmacy sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Distribution and Import (Parallel and Re-import of Narcotics)

NAICS

Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (424210)

SIC

Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Pharmaceutical Distributors (HLAIAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty Pharma & Biologics Distribution (GDP-compliant) (HLAGAMAD)

Keywords

• Pharmaceutical distribution
• Parallel imports
• Narcotics handling
• Generic medicines
• Pain management drugs

Headquarters

HQ city

Meerbusch

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Product Sales: PB Pharma generates revenue through the sale of imported pharmaceuticals and own generic products (Painbreak and Cyclocaps). Products are sold through wholesale distributors and direct sales to pharmacies. The company imports original branded pharmaceuticals from other EU countries and markets them in Germany at lower prices than domestic originals, capturing margin from price differentials.
2. Parallel Import and Re-import: Revenue generated from parallel importing and re-importing patent-protected original branded pharmaceuticals from other EU countries into Germany, obtaining marketing authorization from BfArM for each product.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

PB Pharma GmbH imports, repackages, markets, and distributes pharmaceutical products for the German market, with a specialized focus on narcotics (Betäubungsmittel/BtM). The company offers its own generic product lines (Painbreak for pain management and Cyclocaps for asthma), and parallel-imports and re-imports original branded pharmaceuticals from other EU countries — including a portfolio of more than 500 pharmaceutical preparations across BtM, Non-BtM, and refrigerated goods segments. All products are marketed in Germany under marketing authorization from the BfArM, leveraging GDP/GMP permits, serialization, and a Quality Assurance system.

Product overview

PB Pharma GmbH is a German pharmaceutical company specializing in the import and distribution of medicines, particularly narcotics (Betäubungsmittel). The company operates three main product lines: (1) Painbreak brand generics including morphine sustained-release tablets, fentanyl patches, hydromorphone tablets, and oxycodone/naloxone tablets for pain management; (2) Cyclocaps asthma medication with salbutamol, budesonide, and beclometasone since 1996; and (3) a broad portfolio of over 500 imported pharmaceutical preparations across BtM (controlled substances), Non-BtM, and refrigerated goods segments. PB Pharma obtains marketing authorization from BfArM and distributes products through wholesale channels (Phoenix, Gehe, Alliance, Noweda, Pharma Private, AEP, Sanacorp) and direct sales via MSV3 interface, positioning itself as a leading supplier in the narcotics import sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Painbreak: Product portfolio including morphine sustained-release tablets, fentanyl patches, hydromorphone sustained-release tablets, and oxycodone/naloxone sustained-release tablets for pain therapy.
• Cyclocaps

Products and services

• Painbreak (Generic Pain Management Portfolio) Own-brand portfolio of pain-management generic pharmaceuticals from PB Pharma, including morphine sustained-release tablets, fentanyl patches, hydromorphone sustained-release tablets, and oxycodone/naloxone sustained-release tablets, intended for pharmacies and wholesalers dispensing pain-therapy medications (BtM) to patients.
• Cyclocaps (Asthma Medication) Own-brand asthma medication from PB Pharma containing the active ingredients salbutamol, budesonide, and beclometasone; sold since 1996 to pharmacies and pharmaceutical wholesalers for dispensing to asthma patients.
• Imported Medicines (Importarzneimittel — Parallel and Re-Imports) Original branded pharmaceutical products imported from other EU countries and marketed in Germany under PB Pharma's own marketing authorization from BfArM; offered as price-competitive parallel and re-import alternatives to higher-priced German domestic originals for pharmacies and wholesalers.
• THC/CBD ID-Test Set Identification test set for THC/CBD products, identified in PB Pharma's PB-Produkte portfolio under PZN 39039609, distributed to pharmacies within PB Pharma's own product range.

Quantifiable outcome

• Healthcare system savings through parallel imports: German statutory health insurance achieves direct annual savings of approximately 330 million euros through imported medicines. Indirect savings through price pressure on original manufacturers are significantly higher.

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• PS Pharma Service GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPS Pharma Service GmbH is PB Pharma's sister company and is considered the market leader in handling narcotics. The company handles storage, import/export, packaging, picking, and shipping of pharmaceutical products. It is also a pioneer in primary packaging of medical cannabis products. PS Pharma Service provides repackaging services for PB Pharma products including primary packaging (tablet blisters), secondary packaging, repackaging, reworking into new pack sizes, replacement of package inserts, serialization of prescription drugs, and application of labels or security seals.
• PS Marketing & Outsourcing GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPS Marketing & Outsourcing GmbH handles bundling of demand for morphine tablets and fentanyl patches for customers, drawing on a pool of manufacturers. It holds all necessary distribution licenses and handles documentation and logistics of goods flows. The company has rare sales approvals for morphine products in Germany and utilizes Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA) enabling EU-wide distribution of morphine products without separate studies.
• Semdor Pharma GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSemdor Pharma Group is one of the leading pharmaceutical companies for narcotics and medical cannabis in Europe. PB Pharma is part of the Semdor Pharma Group, which also operates the whistleblower system (hintbox.de) linked from PB Pharma's website.
• Phoenix (pharmaceutical wholesaler)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPhoenix is one of Germany's largest pharmaceutical wholesalers and distributes PB Pharma products through its wholesale network to pharmacies across Germany.
• Gehe (pharmaceutical wholesaler)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGehe (now part of the Walgreens Boots Alliance network) is a major German pharmaceutical wholesaler distributing PB Pharma products through its wholesale network.
• Alliance Healthcare (pharmaceutical wholesaler)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAlliance Healthcare is a major German pharmaceutical wholesaler distributing PB Pharma products to pharmacies.
• Noweda (pharmaceutical wholesaler)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNoweda is a German pharmaceutical wholesaler distributing PB Pharma products through its cooperative network to pharmacies.
• Pharma Private (pharmaceutical wholesaler)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPharma Private is a German pharmaceutical wholesaler distributing PB Pharma products to pharmacies.
• AEP (pharmaceutical wholesaler)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAEP is a German pharmaceutical wholesaler distributing PB Pharma products to pharmacies.
• Sanacorp (pharmaceutical wholesaler)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSanacorp is a German pharmaceutical wholesaler distributing PB Pharma products through its member-owned cooperative network to pharmacies.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pharma Gerke Arzneimittelvertriebs GmbH: German pharmaceutical wholesaler focused on parallel imports serving German pharmacies, directly comparable in business model and distribution approach to PB Pharma.
• kohlpharma GmbH: Germany's largest parallel importer of pharmaceuticals and a direct competitor in the same BtM and parallel-import niche. Distributes a comparable portfolio of imported EU pharmaceuticals through the same German wholesale channel structure.
• Emra-Med Arzneimittel GmbH: German pharmaceutical importer/distributor offering parallel-imported medicines to German pharmacies. Directly comparable customer base, product mix, and regulatory positioning.
• CC-Pharma GmbH: German pharmaceutical distributor focused on parallel imports and specialty pharmaceuticals including narcotics. Operates with the same GDP/GMP compliance framework and BfArM authorization model.
• ACA Müller ADAG Pharma AG: Major German parallel importer distributing imported pharmaceuticals and narcotics through the same German wholesale network (Phoenix, Gehe, Noweda, etc.). Operates an identical business model of sourcing originator products from lower-priced EU markets for German resale.
• EurimPharm Arzneimittel GmbH: Established German parallel importer headquartered near Munich, competing in the same parallel-import and re-import space with comparable BfArM-driven marketing authorization model and German pharmacy/wholesale distribution.
• Axicorp Pharma GmbH: German parallel importer specializing in imported originator pharmaceuticals distributed via German wholesalers and pharmacies. Directly comparable in scale, business model, and target customer segment to PB Pharma.

Emerging players

• HAEMATO PHARM AG: German specialty pharmaceutical distributor focused on niche therapeutic areas including pain management. Overlaps with PB Pharma in specialty distribution to pharmacies and partial product-category overlap in narcotics.
• Westen Pharma GmbH: Smaller-scale German parallel importer operating in a similar niche with comparable customer base (German pharmacies and wholesalers) but lower market share.

Broad incumbents

• DocMorris (Redcare Pharmacy): Large European pharmacy retailer/distributor selling prescription and OTC pharmaceuticals direct-to-consumer in Germany. Adjacent rather than direct overlap, but competes for downstream pharmacy-channel demand that PB Pharma ultimately serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pb-pharma-gmbh

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about PB Pharma