GTCR Completes Acquisition of Zentiva, a Leading European Generics Pharmaceutical Company
GTCR to support Zentiva's next phase of growth, building on its strong foundation of quality, scale and market leadership
CHICAGO and PRAGUE, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- GTCR, a leading private equity firm, announced today that it has closed the previously announced acquisition of Zentiva (the "Company"), a leading European generics pharmaceutical company, from Advent, a leading global private equity investor.
Zentiva is focused on the development, manufacturing and supply of generic, branded specialty and over-the-counter medicines and products, serving more than 100 million people across over 40 countries. The Company is supported by established R&D capabilities and a deep commitment to clinical excellence and product quality across its portfolio.
GTCR will partner with Zentiva's management team, led by Chief Executive Officer Steffen Saltofte and Executive Chairperson Kieran Murphy, to support the Company's next phase of growth. GTCR has longstanding relationships with both Mr. Saltofte and Mr. Murphy, both seasoned leaders with proven track records at various healthcare businesses, including at Acino and GE HealthCare.
GTCR has a long history of investing in healthcare over the past 45 years, including in the pharmaceutical sector. The firm will support Zentiva's next phase of growth through continued investment in new product development, portfolio breadth, and geographic reach, with a focus on improving patient access to essential medicines and supporting sustainable healthcare systems.
"We are proud of Zentiva's strong history and footprint. We look forward to partnering with GTCR at an important inflection point following several years of growth," said Steffen Saltofte, CEO of Zentiva. "With GTCR's support and significant industry expertise, we believe we are ideally placed to accelerate our momentum and continue our mission of expanding access to high-quality, affordable medicines to millions of people across Europe."
"We are excited to partner with Steffen and the Zentiva team to further the Company's success," said Sean Cunningham, Managing Director and Head of Healthcare at GTCR. "As policymakers increasingly prioritize expanding access to essential medicines while ensuring long-term sustainability of healthcare systems, Zentiva plays a critical role in delivering high-quality, cost-effective therapies at scale. Combined with its differentiated geographic footprint and low-cost manufacturing capabilities, Zentiva is well positioned to strengthen its competitive advantage and deliver long-term growth and impact."
Tom Allen, Managing Director at Advent, added, "We are immensely proud of the business Zentiva has become during our partnership — a scaled, growing European generics platform, with a strong competitive footprint, a commitment to quality, and a clear mission to expand access to affordable medicines. We would like to thank Steffen and all the talented Zentiva team members who played a part in the company's transformation. We look forward to watching Zentiva go from strength to strength in the years ahead."
GTCR was advised by Barclays Bank PLC, acting through its Investment Bank, and BNP Paribas as lead financial advisors, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC as a financial advisor, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP as legal advisor.
Advent was advised by Goldman Sachs and PJT Partners as lead financial advisors and Freshfields as lead legal advisor.
About GTCR
Founded in 1980, GTCR is a leading private equity firm that invests behind The Leaders Strategy™ – finding and partnering with management leaders in core domains to identify, acquire and build market-leading companies through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. GTCR is focused on investing in transformative growth in companies in the Business & Consumer Services, Financial Services & Technology, Healthcare and Technology, Media & Telecommunications sectors. Since its inception, GTCR has invested more than $30 billion in approximately 300 companies, and the firm currently manages approximately $50 billion in equity capital. GTCR is based in Chicago with offices in New York and West Palm Beach. For more information, please visit www.gtcr.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.
About Zentiva
Zentiva provides health and wellbeing for all generations, with focus on developing, producing, and delivering high-quality, affordable medicines to more than 100 million people in over 40 countries across Europe and beyond. Zentiva has four manufacturing sites and a broad network of external manufacturing partners to ensure supply security. Zentiva employs more than 5,400 unique talents, bonded together by a commitment to the people who depend on our products every day. Visit us at www.zentiva.com
About Advent
Advent is a leading global private equity investor committed to working in partnership with management teams, entrepreneurs, and founders to help transform businesses. With 16 offices across five continents, we oversee more than USD $100 billion in assets under management* and have made 448 investments across 44 countries.
Since our founding in 1984, we have developed specialist market expertise across our five core sectors: business & financial services, consumer, healthcare, industrial, and technology. This approach is bolstered by our deep sub-sector knowledge, which informs every aspect of our investment strategy, from sourcing opportunities to working in partnership with management to execute value creation plans. We bring hands-on operational expertise to enhance and accelerate businesses.
As one of the largest privately-owned partnerships, our 655 colleagues leverage the full ecosystem of Advent's global resources, including our Portfolio Support Group, insights provided by industry expert Operating Partners and Operations Advisors, as well as bespoke tools to support and guide our portfolio companies as they seek to achieve their strategic goals.
To learn more, visit our website or connect with us on LinkedIn.
*Assets under management (AUM) as of September 30, 2025. AUM includes assets attributable to Advent advisory clients as well as employee and third-party co-investment vehicles.
Media Contacts
GTCR Media Contact
Josh Clarkson / Ryan Smith / Peter Gavaris
Zentiva Media Contact
Marie-Claire Rees
Head of Communications, Zentiva
[email protected]
Advent Media Contact
Peter Folland
Vice President, Communications, Advent
[email protected]
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