Medpal AI (MPAL) has completed the acquisition of key assets from Universal Pharmacy and tripled the footprint of its robotic distribution facility in Swaffham. The transaction finalises a process originally announced in September 2025 following necessary regulatory approvals.
The acquisition consideration involved an initial payment of £15,000 followed by a final payment of £30,000 upon completion. The deal was conditional on MedPal obtaining approval for the pharmacy licence and change of ownership, which NHS England granted on 4 November 2025. Consequently, the pharmacy is now fully operational under the group's ownership.
Medpal has now expanded its premises to encompass Units 21, 23, and 25 at Ecotech Innovation Business Park in Norfolk. This expansion triples the facility's size, incorporating a new 10-year lease for Unit 21 alongside the assignment of existing leases for the other units.
The enlarged hub is designed to operate 24/7 with the capacity to process over 100,000 prescription items per month. It utilises automated dispensing and order fulfilment to support nationwide delivery of medications.
Going forward, this development advances the group's vertically integrated healthcare model by securing end-to-end control from clinical services to patient delivery. This alignment aims to strengthen revenue capture and improve operational margins across the care pathway.
“We are delighted to have completed this acquisition and facility expansion,” said Medpal AI’s CEO Jason Drummond.
“The integration of Universal Pharmacy's operations into our Medpal Limited subsidiary, combined with the tripling of our Swaffham robotic hub, directly supports our vertically integrated model and positions us strongly for accelerated growth. This milestone underscores our commitment to building a scalable, technology-driven pharmacy platform that delivers better outcomes for patients, prescribers, and the NHS.”
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This completion marks a functional step forward for Medpal AI as it solidifies the physical infrastructure needed to support its digital-first strategy. By securing the NHS contract and significantly increasing dispensing capacity to 100,000 items monthly, the group has removed a key bottleneck in its vertical integration plan. Investors will now look for evidence that this increased capacity translates into the anticipated margin improvements and revenue growth in upcoming reporting periods.