Diaverum acquires dialysis clinics in Chile

Concepción, Chile / Munich, 27 May 2011 - Diaverum, one of the world´s largest independent renal care providers, today announced that it has acquired two nephrology clinics in Concepción. Chile is the third market for Diaverum in Latin America. The renal care specialist is already present in Argentina and Uruguay with a total of 40 clinics. Diaverum provides dialysis care for 19,000 patients across the globe with highest safety standards optimising operational efficiency and medical outcome.

Commenting on the acquisition, Juan Irigion, Diaverum’s Latin America Area Director, said: “I am very happy that we are establishing our presence in Chile. This is an important milestone for Diaverum both in Latin America and globally. To improve the quality of life for our patients, we focus on the physical and the emotional aspects of chronic kidney disease (CKD) thereby ensuring that they feel revitalised when leaving the clinic.”

Dag Andersson, President and CEO of Diaverum, emphasised the growth ambitions: “We are planning significant investment in the country over the next three years, adding more clinics to the network - mainly in the area between Santiago and Temuco. The Chilean patients will benefit from our experience of close to 3 million treatments per year across our global network of dialysis clinics.”

Chile has a fast growing economy, and a well-functioning healthcare sector, to which Diaverum will contribute by further advancing renal care in the country. Of Chile’s 17 million inhabitants, 16,000 people require a renal replacement therapy - one of the highest percentages in Latin America – and receive regular dialysis treatment in one of the country’s 200 centres.

Addendum: Following the initial acquisitions of Cidial and Medinefro in Concepción, Diaverum Chile has acquired the Centro de Dialisis Villarrica (CDV) with two clinics treating 219 patients. Both clinics are located in the growing Araucania region. As in all of Latin America, a focus in these clinics is also on Peritoneal Dialysis.