DUBLIN, Ohio, May 1, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH), the leading provider of products and services supporting the health care industry, today announced plans to acquire the pharmaceutical wholesale distribution business from The F. Dohmen Co. and certain of its subsidiaries ("F. Dohmen Wholesale"). The F. Dohmen Co. is a privately held family-owned health care services corporation, headquartered in Germantown, Wisconsin.

With revenue of approximately $1.7 billion, F. Dohmen Wholesale is the fifth largest pharmaceutical distributor in the U.S. and serves more than 2,400 independent pharmacy and retail-chain customers in the Upper Midwestern, Central, Southern and Southeast States. The company has 480 employees and four distribution centers.

"F. Dohmen Wholesale is a good fit with Cardinal Health as we continue to build the industry's best global supply chain for pharmacy customers," said Mark Parrish, president and chief operating officer of Supply Chain Services - Pharmaceutical at Cardinal Health. "The acquisition will complement our existing suite of services and enhance our value proposition to retail pharmacy customers, a very important set of customers for Cardinal Health."

"After careful consideration, we selected Cardinal Health as a partner that could successfully continue the tradition of excellence that The F. Dohmen Co. has spent 148 years cultivating," said John Dohmen, chief executive officer and president of The F. Dohmen Co. "Cardinal Health has crafted its programs and services with the independent pharmacist in mind and will afford our customers new tools to support their continued growth and success."

The proposed sale supports The F. Dohmen Co.'s long-term corporate strategy of focusing on rapidly growing service sectors within health care. The company remains committed to providing and expanding its array of health care services through The F. Dohmen Co.'s strong portfolio of remaining businesses -- RESTAT, JASCORP and DDN Pharmaceutical Logistics.

Independent retail pharmacies represent an $80 billion business in the U.S., providing a vital service to patients and communities. With this acquisition, Cardinal Health sees opportunities to grow its business in this area with a wide range of differentiated product and service solutions. Cardinal Health and F. Dohmen Wholesale have complementary capabilities and geographies that will create synergies for the two organizations and help independent retail pharmacies continue to improve their operations as they do today with Cardinal Health's private-label products and innovative solutions.

Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a $75 billion, global company serving the health-care industry with a broad portfolio of products and services. Through its diverse offering, Cardinal Health delivers integrated health-care solutions that help customers reduce their costs, improve efficiency and deliver better care to patients. The company manufactures, packages and distributes pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, offers a range of clinical services and develops automation products that improve the management and delivery of supplies and medication for hospitals, physician offices and pharmacies. Ranked No. 19 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs more than 55,000 people on six continents. More information about the company may be found at www.cardinalhealth.com.

SOURCE Cardinal Health, Inc.