Bergen Brunswig Completes Acquisition of J.M. Blanco, Inc.

ORANGE, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Feb. 10, 1999--Bergen Brunswig Corporation (NYSE:BBC) today announced it has completed its acquisition of J.M. Blanco, Inc., Puerto Rico's largest pharmaceutical distributor.

J.M. Blanco, with fiscal 1998 revenues of $200 million, services retail chains, community pharmacies, convenience stores and hospitals in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The company will operate as a separate subsidiary but will be integrated into the financial operations of Bergen Brunswig Drug Company (BBDC) as a part of the Eastern Region.

"This strategic combination offers an exciting opportunity to support J.M. Blanco, continuing to provide their customers with leading retail programs as enhanced by Bergen's retail initiatives including the Generic Purchasing Program(tm) (GPP) and Good Neighbor Pharmacy(R) (GNP) brand identity program, along with private label, home health products, patient care and advertising support," said Brent R. Martini, president of Bergen Brunswig Drug Company. "Blanco's leadership team, along with input from their customers, will determine the best portfolio of services to utilize in order to give these customers the finest in cost-reduction, patient care and profitability opportunities."

Bergen Brunswig Corporation, a Fortune 200 Company with annualized revenues of $16 billion (excludes bulk shipments to customers' warehouses), is one of the nation's leading supply channel management companies, providing pharmaceuticals, medical-surgical and specialty products as well as information management solutions and outsourcing services designed to improve cost-effectiveness and increase value for customers, patients and manufacturers across the entire healthcare spectrum. The company also develops disease-specific treatment protocols and pharmacoeconomic initiatives to assist in the reduction of overall healthcare costs while improving disease management and outcomes.

Some of the information set forth in this press release, such as the anticipated success and acceptance of the Company's programs and services in the markets serviced by J.M. Blanco, may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied. These uncertainties are described herein and in exhibit 99(a) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 1998 and in other reports and exhibits filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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