Sunnyvale, CA 2/15/07—Cepheid, a provider of nucleic acid amplification equipment and reagents, has acquired Sangtec Molecular Diagnostics AB from ALTANA Pharma AG for $27 million in cash. Based in Broma, Sweden, Sangtec is a manufactuer of PCR-based molecular diagnostics products and had 2006 revenues of $8 million. Cepheid intends to integrate Sangtec’s affigene kits for […]

Chelmsford, MA 2/5/07—Magellan Biosciences has sold Tek-Cel, a provider of laboratory sample management and storage solutions, to Hamilton, which sells laboratory robotics, chromatography and fluid subsystem products. Financial details were not disclosed. Hamilton is expected to keep TekCel’s headquarters in Hopkinton, Massachusetts and to grow Hamilton’s East Coast presence. Magellan President and CEO Dr. Robert […]

New York, NY 2/13/07; Carlsbad, CA 2/13/07—Invitrogen has agreed to sell BioReliance to private equity firm Avista Capital for $210 million. BioReliance, a contract service organization providing biological safety testing, toxicology, viral manufacturing and laboratory animal diagnostic services, has annual revenues of $110 million and provides services to more than 600 clients per year. Tim […]

Washington, DC 2/9/07—Thermo Fisher Scientific has filed a petition of approval with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to sell its centrifugal vacuum evaporators assets to Riverlake Partners and MVC Capital. Thermo Fisher Scientific is required to divest the business within five months as a condition of the FTC’s approval of the merger of Thermo […]

Cambridge, UK 1/29/07, Maynard, MA 1/29/07 and Columbus, OH 1/29/07—BioWisdom, a developer of software for business information analysis in the healthcare industry, and OmniViz, a company that specializes in software for data visualization, have announced that they will unite under the BioWisdom name. Gordon Baxter, CEO of BioWisdom, said that “this transaction is an important […]

Grand Rapids, MI 2/8/07; Amersham, UK 2/8/07—Halma has acquired X-Rite’s Labsphere business for $13.9 million in cash and a deferred cash consideration of $1.5 million. Labsphere is a designer and manufacturer of light testing and measurement products, as well as specialized optical coatings. The company posted 2006 revenues of $12.5 million and an operating profit […]

Santa Clara, CA 2/1/07—Intevac has acquired the assets and certain liabilities of Raman spectroscopy company DeltaNu for an undisclosed amount. Intevac is a developer of low light imaging sensors, cameras and systems and a supplier of magnetic media supporting equipment. Based in Laramie, Wyoming, DeltaNu’s products include handheld and benchtop Raman spectroscopy instruments and Raman […]

Brentford, UK 1/18/07—Whatman announced that CEO Bill Emhiser (see IBO 9/30/05) has been replaced with Kieran Murphy, former chief executive of pharmaceutical company Innovata. The change follows disappointing sales results for 2006. The company estimates 2006 revenues rose 5% to £114 million ($211.1 million), missing November estimates of 6%–7% growth, and are expected to result […]

Sunnyvale, CA and Toronto, Canada 1/29/07—MDS has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Molecular Devices for $615 million in cash, or $35.50 per share, a 49% premium over the January 26 trading price. In the first 12 months, the acquisition is expected to add $190 million in revenues and $45–$50 million in EBITDA (earnings before […]

Poissy, France 1/17/07­—Environnement SA has acquired the assets of Becker Messtechnik, a developer of instruments for the continuous sampling and monitoring of dioxins. “The acquisition of Becker Messtechnik, which was moreover, one of our suppliers and which we therefore know particularly well, will strengthen our technological expertise in pollutant measuring,” said Environnement SA Chairman François […]