Roche Sells Drugs of Abuse Testing Business to Varian

By HospiMedica staff writers
Posted on 12 Feb 2003

In a move to divest a business whose market is not important to the company's current strategy, Roche Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) has sold its worldwide nonclinical drugs of abuse testing (DAT) business to Varian, Inc. (Palo Alto, CA) for an undisclosed amount.

Included in the sale were Roche's OnTrak TesTcup, OnTrak TesTstik, OnSite alcohol and Intect line of testing devices, all commonly used for illicit drug screening in the workplace and in the criminal justice system. The sale does not include Roche's drugs of abuse testing products used by clinical and hospital laboratory customers. Roche will continue to sell and support the OnTrak TesTcard 9 drugs of abuse testing product and all Abuscreen Online assays for drug abuse.

"When reviewing other companies who were interested in purchasing this business, we sought buyers who were closely aligned with the marketplace to continue growing this business,” said Martin Madaus, president and CEO of Roche Diagnostics, North America.

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