QIAGEN has entered into talks to purchase a 47 percent initial stake in France's Ipsogen and subsequently make a public offer to fully acquire the company. The potential acquisition would give QIAGEN access to a range of assays covering 15 biomarkers used for the diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of patients with various blood cancers, according to a company release.
Upon completion of the offer, Ipsogen's Marseilles site is planned to become a global center of excellence within QIAGEN, focusing on leukemia and breast cancer, and will also become a center for the development and manufacturing of other molecular tests.
Ipsogen, which has approximately 70 employees at sites in France and the U.S., reported 24 percent net sales growth in 2010 to about $11 million. More than 40 percent of net sales were reinvested into R&D activities. In addition, almost all of the company's assays have CE-IVD Marking in Europe and can be used on QIAGEN's Rotor-Gene Q real-time PCR system.
"Ipsogen has created a portfolio of molecular assays that are advancing treatment standards for patients with blood cancers, and we are now moving forward in creating new products to support women with breast cancer," explains Ipsogen CEO Vincent Fert in a statement. "As part of QIAGEN, we believe our efforts would be accelerated and benefit from an industry-leading company and could offer even greater options to patients and healthcare providers around the world."
QIAGEN would fund this acquisition from existing cash. The purchase and subsequent public offer are expected to be completed by the end of the third quarter.
- see the QIAGEN release