Pierre Fabre has announced the sale of its Elancyl and Galénic brands. The French group want to refocus its investments in skin care on brands relying on dermatologist recommendation and prone to pathological conditions.

Cantabria Labs acquires Elancyl

Body care brand Elancyl, a pioneer in anti-cellulite care, has been bought by Spanish pharmaceutical company Cantabria Labs, with the objective of developing the brand internationally.

Already sold in in over 20 countries, Elancyl enjoys leading positions in France, Spain, Greece, Portugal and Poland. The brand posted net sales of EUR 9,8 million in 2019.

"In a strange and difficult year, when everything around us is uncertain and in flux, we felt we had to be entrepreneurs and remain alert to market opportunities," said Cantabria Labs president Juan Matji in relation to the deal. "Elancyl products are trailblazers in the body care industry and enjoy an excellent reputation worldwide."

Cantabria Labs already enjoys strong positions in Spain, Italy and Portugal, with its brands Heliocare, Endocare, Neoretin, Biretix and Iraltone.

Yatsen acquires Galénic

The buyer of skincare brand Galénic is the Chinese beauty company Yatsen, owner of cosmetics brand Perfect Diary. The take-over will be effective on November 1st, 2020. Pierre Fabre will own a minority stake of 10% in the affiliate created by Yatsen to host Galénic assets in Europe.

Yatsen will continue supporting the premium skincare brand in Europe and will launch it in China, “the most dynamic cosmetics market in the world”, according to Pierre Fabre, and in other Asian markets. Actually, Yatsen intends to build on the French identity of the iconic brand in its communication and will entrust Pierre Fabre with the manufacturing of Galénic products and the development of its future innovations.

With this move, Yatsen intends to improve its research & development capabilities, boost product innovation and benefit from Pierre Fabre’s rich experience in product development and brand building.

Pierre Fabre’s turnover reached over EUR 2.4 billion in 2019 spread over 130 countries. The company is structured around two main divisions: Medical Care with a focus on oncology and dermatology, and Dermo-cosmetics with a portfolio of global brands including Eau Thermale Avène, Ducray, Klorane, A-Derma and René Furterer.