The Czech competition authority, ÚOHS, has granted approval for Slovak company Assas Invest s.r.o. to acquire a majority stake in Česká lékárnická, a.s. The decision was made without any conditions, as the authority found that the merger does not raise concerns about significant disruption to competition.

Assas Invest is a holding company that operates a network of public pharmacies and wholesale distribution of medical supplies in Slovakia. Česká lékárnická, through its subsidiaries, operates pharmacies and is involved in wholesale and retail distribution of pharmaceuticals, healthcare facilities, and the production of medicinal products, cosmetics, and dietary supplements in the Czech Republic.

During the review process, ÚOHS concluded that the merger would not result in significant competition disruption. The approval was granted under a simplified procedure.

This decision marks a repeat assessment of the merger, as a previous ruling by ÚOHS in 2024 indicated that the legal turnover criteria were not met, which is a fundamental requirement for evaluating the merger's market impact. However, over a year later, the transaction was reassessed as the turnover criteria were now satisfied, allowing the merger to proceed.