NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Qiagen said after the close of the market Tuesday that it will acquire all rights to 70 molecular food safety tests from the Institute for Product Quality, a Berlin-based specialized lab for food analysis.
The tests are real-time PCR-based and cover a broad range of molecular targets including genetic, bacterial, viral, and other food contaminants. According to Qiagen, the tests can be fully automated using Qiagen's own instruments, such as the QIAsymphony and the Rotor-Gene Q.
Qiagen said that the tests will strengthen its Applied Testing business segment, which provides products for forensics, veterinary medicine, and biodefense applications.
"With this unique assay portfolio we are laying the foundation for a very strong position in the area of food safety testing and significantly strengthening the area of applied testing overall," Qiagen CEO Peer Schatz said in a statement.
The firm's Applied Testing segment accounts for 7 percent of Qiagen's net sales and had revenue growth of 28 percent, at constant exchange rates, in the past quarter, Qiagen noted.
Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.