BD acquires Atto Bioscience
million (€20m), allowing it to enter the emerging high content cell
analysis market and enhancing its presence in the pharmaceutical
and biotechnology sectors.
The high content cell analysis market is increasingly becoming more significant in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic, and government research markets. BD's intends to combine Atto's biosensor development, cell biology, and imaging with their own technological strengths, worldwide customer base and technical expertise.
Vincent Forlenza, president, BD Biosciences said: "This transaction will unite Atto Bioscience's high content imaging platforms with BD Biosciences' leading flow cytometry platforms and wide range of cell-based assay tools, positioning BD to play a leading role in the emerging high content cell analysis market."
Atto will become a part of Becton, BD's biosciences division, which is based in San Jose, California, and provides researchers with products and services for disease research and to improve diagnosis and disease management.
BD Biosciences said it will use Atto's technologies to help researchers identify drug-related effects on a sub-population of cells and to optimise efficacy drug candidates at earlier stages of the drug discovery process facilitating the discovery and development of novel drugs and vaccines.
Atto Bioscience reported sales of $3 million for calendar year 2003 and is expected to double its sales for calendar year 2004. BD reported revenue of $4.5 billion in 2003.