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.

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