Slovenia's Krka plans big takeover-paper

LJUBLJANA, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Slovenian pharmaceutical company Krka (KRKG.LJ: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) may take over a larger company, chief executive Joze Colaric told Slovene daily Dnevnik.

"I can't exclude that we will in the future take over a larger pharmaceutical company, although I can't say it will be in the next few months," Colaric said in an interview published on Wednesday.

Colaric said Krka could pay up to around 1.5 billion euros ($2.33 billion) for such an acquisition.

He did not say where the takeover target was located but said Krka was also eyeing smaller targets in Europe and the rest of the world.

"To increase market share or add new products we are also looking at some smaller targets, not only in Europe, but the rest of the world as well," Colaric said.

Last year Krka made its first takeover, buying German generic drug producer TAD Pharma for 97 million euros.

Krka, which is Slovenia's largest listed company, has a market capitalisation of some 3.3 billion euros.

Krka's shares rose by 1.18 percent to 94.6 euros by 1000 GMT on Wednesday while the blue-chip SBI index gained 0.24 percent. (Reporting by Manca Ulcar; Editing by Paul Bolding)