McKesson $8.3 billion deal for drugs trader Celesio to create market leader

By Ludwig Burger (Reuters) – McKesson agreed to buy German peer Celesio on Thursday for $8.3 billion, including debt, forging a global market leader in drugs distribution to boost its purchasing power with pharma majors. San Francisco-based McKesson, the largest U.S. drugs wholesale group, struck a deal to purchase the 50.01 percent stake in Celesio owned by the diversified holding company Franz Haniel & Cie and is offering to buy up the remaining shares for 23 euros ($31.7) apiece, it said on Thursday. McKesson and its closest U.S. …