Thermo Fisher Scientific Acquisition Augments Specialty Diagnostics Portfolio
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 08 Sep 2009 |
|
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (Waltham, MA, USA) signed a definitive agreement to acquire B.R.A.H.M.S. AG (Hennigsdorf, Germany) for US$478.8 million. B.R.A.H.M.S. will be integrated into the specialty diagnostics business within Thermo Fisher's analytical technologies segment. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to close in late September 2009.
B.R.A.H.M.S. is a provider of specialty in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests based on biomarkers for sepsis, cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, intensive care treatments, and prenatal screening. It also offers diagnostic tests and instrumentation for thyroid, prenatal, autoimmune, and oncology screening in both laboratory and point-of-care settings. The company's best-known product is Procalcitonin (PCT), a biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of sepsis, a condition in which the patient's bloodstream is overwhelmed by bacterial infection.
The PCT test has become the gold standard in Europe for early diagnosis of sepsis, which is critical for patient survival, and the subsequent monitoring of treatment. The European testing model will be replicated in the United States where around 750,000 cases occur each year, one third of which are fatal.
Marijn E. Dekkers, president and CEO of Thermo Fisher Scientific, commented, "B.R.A.H.M.S. assays and instrumentation are a strong complement to our existing products for immunoassay testing, and its robust R&D pipeline creates promising opportunities to commercialize new patented diagnostic tests. In addition, the company gives us a significant reagent manufacturing footprint in Europe, while allowing us to leverage our deep customer access in the U.S. to market innovative new B.R.A.H.M.S. products, such as PCT and others now in development. This acquisition reinforces our strategy of building on our leadership in niche specialty diagnostics markets.”
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. supplies and serves hospitals and clinical diagnostic labs, pharmaceutic and biotechnology companies, universities, research institutions and government agencies, as well as environmental and industrial process control settings. The company has two brands, Thermo Scientific and Fisher Scientific. Thermo Scientific offers customers a complete range of high-end analytical instruments as well as laboratory equipment, software, services, consumables, and reagents to enable integrated laboratory workflow solutions. Fisher Scientific provides a complete portfolio of laboratory equipment, chemicals, supplies, and services used in healthcare, scientific research, safety, and education.
Related Links:
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
B.R.A.H.M.S. AG
B.R.A.H.M.S. is a provider of specialty in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests based on biomarkers for sepsis, cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, intensive care treatments, and prenatal screening. It also offers diagnostic tests and instrumentation for thyroid, prenatal, autoimmune, and oncology screening in both laboratory and point-of-care settings. The company's best-known product is Procalcitonin (PCT), a biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of sepsis, a condition in which the patient's bloodstream is overwhelmed by bacterial infection.
The PCT test has become the gold standard in Europe for early diagnosis of sepsis, which is critical for patient survival, and the subsequent monitoring of treatment. The European testing model will be replicated in the United States where around 750,000 cases occur each year, one third of which are fatal.
Marijn E. Dekkers, president and CEO of Thermo Fisher Scientific, commented, "B.R.A.H.M.S. assays and instrumentation are a strong complement to our existing products for immunoassay testing, and its robust R&D pipeline creates promising opportunities to commercialize new patented diagnostic tests. In addition, the company gives us a significant reagent manufacturing footprint in Europe, while allowing us to leverage our deep customer access in the U.S. to market innovative new B.R.A.H.M.S. products, such as PCT and others now in development. This acquisition reinforces our strategy of building on our leadership in niche specialty diagnostics markets.”
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. supplies and serves hospitals and clinical diagnostic labs, pharmaceutic and biotechnology companies, universities, research institutions and government agencies, as well as environmental and industrial process control settings. The company has two brands, Thermo Scientific and Fisher Scientific. Thermo Scientific offers customers a complete range of high-end analytical instruments as well as laboratory equipment, software, services, consumables, and reagents to enable integrated laboratory workflow solutions. Fisher Scientific provides a complete portfolio of laboratory equipment, chemicals, supplies, and services used in healthcare, scientific research, safety, and education.
Related Links:
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
B.R.A.H.M.S. AG
Gold Member
Quality Control Material
iPLEX Pro Exome QC Panel
New
Multi-Chamber Washer-Disinfector
WD 390
New
Automated Clinical Chemistry Analyzer
Envoy 500+
Latest Industry News
- Integrated DNA Technologies Expands into Clinical Diagnostics
- Co-Diagnostics Agreement Expands Commercial and Distribution Reach in South Asia
- Automated MSI Test Gains IVDR Certification to Guide CRC Therapy
- New Partnership Brings Alzheimer’s Blood Biomarker Test to Community Screening Network
- MGI Tech Strengthens Sequencing Portfolio with Dual Acquisition
- Agilent Technologies Acquires Pathology Diagnostics Company Biocare Medical
- Cepheid Joins CDC Initiative to Strengthen U.S. Pandemic Testing Preparednesss
- QuidelOrtho Collaborates with Lifotronic to Expand Global Immunoassay Portfolio
- WHX Labs in Dubai spotlights leadership skills shaping next-generation laboratories
- AI-Powered Cervical Cancer Test Set for Major Rollout in Latin America
- New Collaboration Brings Automated Mass Spectrometry to Routine Laboratory Testing
- Diasorin and Fisher Scientific Enter into US Distribution Agreement for Molecular POC Platform
- WHX Labs Dubai to Gather Global Experts in Antimicrobial Resistance at Inaugural AMR Leaders’ Summit
- BD and Penn Institute Collaborate to Advance Immunotherapy through Flow Cytometry
- Abbott Acquires Cancer-Screening Company Exact Sciences
- Roche and Freenome Collaborate to Develop Cancer Screening Tests
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
New CLIA Status Brings Mass Spectrometry Steroid Testing to Routine Labs
Steroid hormone measurement is a core application of clinical mass spectrometry, which is widely regarded as a diagnostic gold standard. Access to these high-specificity methods has often been constrained... Read more
Study Shows Dual Biomarkers Improve Accuracy of Alzheimer’s Detection
Alzheimer’s disease develops slowly, and biological changes can appear in blood many years before symptoms. While plasma assays for phosphorylated tau offer earlier detection, discerning whether these... Read more
Molecular Diagnostics
view channel
First IVDR‑Certified IGH Clonality Assay Supports Diagnosis of B-Cell Malignancies
Accurate identification of clonal immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) gene rearrangements is central to evaluating suspected B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders, where a single B-cell clone yields a defining... Read more
Plasma ctDNA Testing Predicts Breast Cancer Recurrence After Neoadjuvant Therapy
Accurate identification of breast cancer patients at risk of relapse after pre-surgery treatment is central to guiding adjuvant decisions, particularly in aggressive disease. Circulating fragments of tumor... Read more
Hematology
view channel
Rapid Cartridge-Based Test Aims to Expand Access to Hemoglobin Disorder Diagnosis
Sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia are hemoglobin disorders that often require referral to specialized laboratories for definitive diagnosis, delaying results for patients and clinicians.... Read more
New Guidelines Aim to Improve AL Amyloidosis Diagnosis
Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a rare, life-threatening bone marrow disorder in which abnormal amyloid proteins accumulate in organs. Approximately 3,260 people in the United States are diagnosed... Read more
Immunology
view channel
FDA Approval Expands Use of PD-L1 Companion Diagnostic in Esophageal and GEJ Carcinomas
Esophageal and gastroesophageal junction carcinomas (GEJ) have a poor prognosis, with approximately 16,250 deaths in the United States in 2025 and a five-year relative survival of 21.9%.... Read more
Study Identifies Inflammatory Pathway Driving Immunotherapy Resistance in Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer remains a prevalent malignancy with variable responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Clinicians often observe elevated C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 in affected patients, yet the... Read more
Microbiology
view channel
WHO Endorses Rapid Point-of-Care Testing to Improve TB Detection
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading infectious killer, with more than 3,300 deaths and 29,000 new illnesses every day. Diagnostic delays and dependence on centralized laboratory networks continue to impede... Read more
Breath Analysis Approach Offers Rapid Detection of Bacterial Infection
Accurate and rapid identification of bacterial infections remains challenging in acute care, where delays can hinder timely, targeted therapy. Infectious diseases are a major cause of mortality worldwide,... Read more
Study Highlights Accuracy Gaps in Consumer Gut Microbiome Kits
Direct-to-consumer gut microbiome kits promise personalized insights by profiling fecal bacteria and generating health readouts, but their analytical accuracy remains uncertain. A new study shows that... Read more
WHO Recommends Near POC Tests, Tongue Swabs and Sputum Pooling for TB Diagnosis
Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the world’s leading infectious disease killers, yet millions of cases go undiagnosed or are detected too late. Barriers such as reliance on sputum samples, limited laboratory... Read morePathology
view channel
Biopsy-Based Gene Test Predicts Recurrence Risk in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, killing more people in the United States than breast, prostate, and colon cancers combined. In lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), tumors that invade nearby blood... Read more
AI-Powered Tool to Transform Dermatopathology Workflow
Skin cancer accounts for the largest number of cancer diagnoses in the United States, placing sustained pressure on pathology services. Diagnostic interpretation can be variable for challenging melanocytic... Read more
Technology
view channel
Rapid Biosensor Detects Drug Sensitivity in Breast Tumors
Chemotherapy selection for breast cancer is challenged by heterogeneous tumor responses. Conventional chemosensitivity assays can be slow, require large sample volumes, and struggle with complex biological... Read more
