Private equity firm Creador in talks to buy into generic drug co Leeford Health

Mumbai: Kuala Lumpur-based private equity firm Creador is in advanced talks to acquire about a 10% stake in Ludhiana-based Leeford Healthcare, said people familiar with the matter. Creador is expected to invest around ₹800 crore in Leeford, valuing the generic drugmaker at ₹8,000-₹8,500 crore ($900 million), the people said.

Incorporated in 2006 and promoted by Jiwan Lal Gupta, Leeford Healthcare is a diversified pharmaceutical and wellness company with a portfolio of more than 2,000 products across prescription medicines, generic formulations, nutraceuticals, personal care and specialty therapies.

The proposed investment follows Creador's November 2025 purchase of a nearly 7% stake in homegrown drugmaker La Renon Healthcare for about ₹770 crore. Leeford is currently wholly-owned by the promoter Gupta family. Chairman Jiwan Lal Gupta holds about 88% stake, while the remainder is held by family members Amit Kumar Gupta, Neha Gupta, Sarika Gupta, and others.

If consummated, the deal will mark the first dilution of ownership by the nearly two-decade-old company in favour of an external investor. Leeford and Creador didn't respond to email queries. The company has delivered steady financial growth in the past five years, clocking 5% revenue growth at $204.7 million in FY25, and 27% rise in net profit at $28.4 million. This was helped by a 24% increase in Ebitda at $40.5 million, according to Tracxn data.

Leeford runs multiple businesses including its core healthcare division, wellness division, Cosmacia personal care business, and Leeford Medi Sciences, a super-specialty business focused on nephrology and urology. Leeford also has a growing orthopaedics and mobility aids business and exports products to several international markets, according to the company website. Under this division, it sells cervical collars, kneecaps, lumbar belts, posture correctors, wrist supports, and sports recovery aids.

In fiscal 2014, the company launched beauty products under its own brand names-Meglow and Alite. Leeford has 10 manufacturing facilities producing oral solids, liquids, topical formulations, cosmetics, and Ayurvedic products, supported by an inhouse formulation and development centre in Himachal Pradesh.