History
Becoming a world-class partner to pharmaceutical innovators around the world takes time, vision, and dedication.
A defining moment for Cencora
Cencora was established in 2023, as a new name for the AmerisourceBergen Corporation. As we help shape a new era of healthcare, we’re building on our legacy of more than 100 years of progress and excellence in pharmaceutical sourcing and wholesale distribution.
The beginning of something big
1871
Lucien Napoleon Brunswig began his journey to becoming a leader in the drug wholesale market by apprenticing with a U.S. druggist.
1907
Several partners later, The Brunswig Drug Company focused exclusively on wholesale drug distribution.
Decades later
The company that would eventually become Cencora grew exponentially through acquisitions and market expansions.
Today
Cencora impacts countless lives by providing solutions that advance pharmaceutical care in more than 50 countries around the globe.
Embracing innovation
Throughout every iteration of the company, Cencora has created, sought, and supported innovations that improve the health and well-being of humans and animals. Often, when a product or service proves to be an important advancement, we welcome its creators into the Cencora portfolio of businesses to benefit from our expansive reach and considerable resources.
As the Brunswig Drug Company in 1947, we were the first wholesale drug company in the United States to use computerized punch cards for inventory tracking. In 1959, as the Bergen Drug Company, we were the first company in America to use computers for inventory control and accounting. By 1971, the Bergen Brunswig Corporation revolutionized the drug distribution industry by pioneering the electronic transmission of purchase orders, thereby reducing distribution time to 24 hours.
Working with leading computer experts, Amerisource Health Corporation introduced AccuSource, an electronic ordering system for retail pharmacy customers, in 1994. The mid-1990s also saw Bergen Brunswig expand its presence in specialty pharmaceutical distribution by developing a suite of manufacturer commercialization services.
In the new millennium, we’re investing in cutting-edge cell and gene therapies, biosimilars, digital therapeutics, and a host of other exciting healthcare innovations.
Extending our breadth and depth
Operating as AmerisourceBergen since 2001, the company entered the animal health industry in 2015 through the acquisition of MWI Veterinary Supply, a leader in product distribution and operational services for the companion and production animal health markets.
In 2018, AmerisourceBergen enhanced and expanded its commitment to supporting the value of community pharmacies with the acquisition of H. D. Smith, the largest independent wholesaler in the U.S.
With the acquisition of Alliance Healthcare from key partner Walgreens Boots Alliance in 2021, AmerisourceBergen’s ability to provide innovative and global healthcare solutions for patients around the world is secure. Alliance Healthcare expands our reach and solutions portfolio in pharmaceutical distribution and adds breadth and depth to our global manufacturer services.
Uniting for the future of healthcare
In 2023, AmerisourceBergen announced its intent to change it’s name and bring Alliance Healthcare under the new name of Cencora. Selected from a pool of hundreds of possible names, Cencora is inspired by the team members and customers at the heart of everything we do.
Today, as Cencora, we impact countless lives around the world every day through focused innovation, from the way pharmaceuticals are accessed to the delivery of personalized patient care.
