NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Roche has reached an agreement with Innovatis to buy the cell analysis company for €15 million ($19.5 million), the Swiss life sciences firm said today.
Roche said that the acquisition of the Bielefeld, Germany-based company, which focuses on automated cell analysis solutions including cell counting, viability testing, and cell function, fits with its strategy to strengthen its cell research market offerings.
Innovatis will become a fully integrated part of Roche Applied Science, and it will develop and market its products through that part of Roche's diagnostics division. Roceh said that Innovatis' technology will complement its existing cell analysis products and is synergistic with its xCelligence technology, which was launched last year.
"Roche has been one of our key customers for many years, in particular since the successful development of our cell analysis technology over 10 years ago," Innovatis CEO Michael Grohmann said in a statement.
Roche said it expects the deal to close in a few weeks, after it receives approval from shareholders and is cleared by regulators.