A conflict has escalated between one of the largest domestic drug manufacturers and leading pharmacy chains in Ukraine, leading to significant losses for the pharmaceutical company.
During 2025, Darnytsia suspended production twice: for three weeks in March and for six weeks in June-August. As a result, the company lost a significant part of its sales volume and was forced to lay off more than a thousand employees. This was reported by Kommersant Ukrainsky, citing economist Anatoly Amelin.
According to him, in June 2025, Darnytsia's sales fell by 30% compared to the same period in 2024, and by August the drop had reached 50%. Because of this, the company dropped from second to fourth place among the largest manufacturers of medicines in Ukraine. The main reason for the decline, the expert calls the conflict between pharmaceutical manufacturers and the largest pharmacy chains, which have an almost monopoly influence on the market. In particular, we are talking about the confrontation between Darnytsia and five pharmacy chains that control approximately 70% of the Ukrainian pharmaceutical market: ANTs, Podorozhnyk, Apteka 9-1-1, Bazhaem zdorovye and Dobrogo dnya.
The roots of the conflict are related to changes in regulatory policy. On February 12, 2025, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy enacted a decision of the National Security and Defense Council on measures to reduce the prices of medicines. The document provided for a 30% reduction in the cost of the 100 most commonly used drugs, as well as a ban on marketing payments between manufacturers and pharmacy chains. Despite this, at the end of 2024, Darnytsia increased the prices of its products by 120%, which became a point of tension in relations with the pharmacy sector. From March 1, 2025, the aforementioned pharmacy chains significantly reduced the volume of purchases of Darnytsia products, which caused a serious drop in the company's revenue and market position.
We would like to remind you that the National Police of Ukraine recently launched an investigation into possible price gouging in certain pharmacies, which is also causing public outcry against the backdrop of changes in pharmaceutical regulation.
