GfK Group integrates its HealthCare business in the US

Business Wire, June 6, 2005

NUREMBERG, GERMANY -- GfK Group

--Acquisition of all the shares in US pharmaceutical research specialist, GfK V2

--US companies combined under the name GfK U.S. HealthCare Companies

Since 1 June 2005, GfK V2 (Blue Bell, PA) has been a fully-fledged member of the GfK Group. With the companies acquired following the acquisition of NOP World, namely GfK Market Measures, GfK Strategic Marketing Corporation and GfK V2, GfK is organizing its US HealthCare activities under the name GfK U.S. HealthCare Companies.

For almost two years, the GfK Group has held a 51 per cent stake in the company, which ranks among the leading pharmaceutical market research organizations in the USA. By acquiring the remaining 49 per cent of the company that has be renamed to GfK V2 now, GfK has consolidated its position in the USA, which is the most important national market for information services for the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical diagnostics industries.

The company was established in 1994 by Dr. Richard B. Vanderveer under the name "V2" and offers research services as well as strategic consulting for the pharmaceutical and biotech markets and for the medical diagnostics industry. GfK V2's client portfolio includes many of the major global healthcare companies such as Pfizer, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, Amgen and GlaxoSmithKline. Services provided include qualitative and quantitative ad hoc research, healthcare market analysis, consulting and support services for strategic sales and marketing.

In addition to surveying the US market, V2 GfK also conducts international studies in Europe, Central and Latin America and Japan from its base in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. Vanderveer, previously a GfK V2 shareholder, who remains CEO, says of GfK's acquisition of the remaining shares: "In the past few years, GfK V2 has become extremely successful and has further consolidated its position as one of the leading custom healthcare research companies in the US, in part because of its involvement with GfK. Being a member of the GfK network has given us increased opportunity of raising our profile with our clients as a provider of comprehensive consulting services at an international level."

Wilhelm R. Wessels, member of the GfK Management Board with responsibility for GfK HealthCare, explains: "For GfK, the complete acquisition of GfK V2 constitutes an important step on the way to achieving a leading position for market research in global healthcare markets. Acquiring GfK V2 has enabled us to speed up the integration of all US pharmaceutical research activities and to continue developing a uniform presence in the world's most significant pharma market."

GfK U.S. HealthCare Companies

With the acquisition of the 51 per cent majority in GfK V2, the GfK Group took the decisive step in summer 2003 towards establishing its fifth business division, HealthCare.

On 1 June GfK officially acquired NOP World. Two of NOP World's healthcare brands are now marketed under the names GfK Market Measures and GfK Strategic Marketing Corporation and belong to the HealthCare division with immediate effect.

With the three US companies, GfK V2, GfK Market Measures and GfK Strategic Marketing Corporation, which are all recognized in the field of pharmaceutical and healthcare research, GfK has become the biggest global provider of custom market research services to the pharmaceutical, biotech and healthcare industries. The companies will in the future be grouped together under the name GfK U.S. HealthCare Companies. Richard B. Vanderveer will be the Chief Executive Officer of the newly built company group, Bart Weiner will be President and Chief Operating Officer and Dan Fitzgerald will be Executive Vice President.

The market for custom marketing research in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors comprises an estimated global market volume of EUR 900 million. Of this, over 60 per cent originates from the pharma and healthcare industries in the USA.

The GfK Group

The GfK Group, the No. 5 market research organization worldwide, achieved sales of EUR 672 million for financial year 2005 in its five business divisions, Custom Research, Retail and Technology, Consumer Tracking, Media and HealthCare. In addition to 13 German subsidiaries, the company has over 130 subsidiaries and affiliates located in 61 countries. Of a current total of more than 7,000 employees, approx. 1,500 are based in Germany. For further information, visit our website: www.gfk.com.