[3] Stefano Pessina founded Alleanza Salute Italia in 1977 under the name of Alleanza Farmaceutica, which expanded to form Alliance Santé SA with Antonin De Bono (at that time Chairman and CEO (1994-97) of Européenne de répartition pharmaceutique et d'investissements which became Alliance Santé Distribution).

of the Czech Republic were purchased that year, and Alliance Santè and UniChem's Portuguese subsidiaries merged to form Alliance UniChem Farmacêutica S.A.[citation needed] The company purchased the Dutch firms Interpharm and De Vier Vijzels in 2000.

In 2003, Alliance UniChem bought a 40% indirect stake in the Egyptian wholesaler UCP via Hedef.

[citation needed] Alliance UniChem acquired Swiss specialist healthcare logistics and pre-wholesaler Alloga in 2005, as well as Spanish pharmaceutical wholesaler Farmacen, and the Bairds Chemist retail business in Northern Ireland.

On 3 October 2005 it was formally announced that Alliance UniChem would enter into a friendly merger with Boots Group, the UK's largest retail pharmacy chain.