Thermo completes LIMS acquisition
acquisition of InnaPhase, a supplier of Laboratory Information
Management Systems (LIMS) for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology
markets, for approximately $65 million in cash.
Thermo has been boosting its presence in LIMS since developing its in-house Nautilus system a few years back, in a bid to gain a leadership position in a sector tipped to grow by around 4.8 per cent per annum over the next five years, reaching $366 million in 2008, according to a report published last year by Arc Advisory Group.
At the heart of the strategy is a recognition that customers are moving away from customised packages and seeking 'off-the-peg' products that can be easily installed and integrated into their organisations.
InnaPhase has over 100 employees and expects revenues of approximately $26 million in 2004. Its flagship product is Watson, claimed to be the leading LIMS product used in drug development laboratories and the industry standard for bioanalytical applications. InnaPhase's products will be integrated with Thermo's informatics product line, which includes SampleManager, a LIMS system designed for large analytical laboratories.
Thermo has been re-jigging its subsidiaries of late, selling an optics unit to semiconductor equipment company Newport Corp. in June and buying US Counseling Services in April to help healthcare and pharmaceutical companies manage equipment.
Marijn Dekkers, Thermo's chief executive, said that the addition of InnaPhase's products strengthens its product range in key applications such as proteomics and ADME/TOX (absorption, distribution, metabolism excretion and toxicology) studies.
"As customers continue to standardise on informatics products and vendors, Thermo is strategically positioned to offer a broad portfolio of integrated solutions with the industry expertise and resources required for successful implementations," said Dekkers.
Jo Webber, former CEO of InnaPhase, has been appointed general manager of Thermo's informatics business.
