4 July 2011, UK – LGC, the international science-based company and market leader in analytical, forensic and diagnostic services and reference standards, is pleased to announce that LGC’s Genomics division and KBioscience have come together to create a market-leading genomic services and solutions provider. The combination has been enabled through the acquisition by LGC Limited (‘LGC’) of KBiosciences Limited (‘KBioscience’) on 1 July. The founders of KBioscience remain partners and significant shareholders in the enlarged business alongside LGC.
The acquisition of KBioscience, with its unique expertise in genotyping services, chemistries and related products, extends and complements LGC’s cutting-edge genomic services and products, supplied through its LGC Genomics division.
The combining of LGC’s and KBioscience’s activities furthers LGC Genomics’ aim to become Europe’s leading provider of genomic services and related products. Both KBioscience and LGC have established national and international reputations.
Formed in 2002, KBioscience has almost 10 years’ experience developing and optimising genotyping assays using the company’s patented fluorescence-based competitive allele-specific PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technique, KASP. KBioscience’s scientists have contributed significantly to the development of new, genotyping technologies making affordable projects accessible to a broad range of customers independent of project size.
LGC’s products and services in DNA sequencing and extraction are fully complementary to the systems and services developed by KBioscience. The combined business benefits from a significant shared customer base and will use the knowledge and skills of the LGC and KBioscience teams to deliver a comprehensive set of genomics services, products and future innovations.
Phil Robinson, Managing Director and one of the three founding partners of KBioscience, commented: “I am very excited at the opportunities that our acquisition by LGC holds - the combination of LGC’s well-known qualities and KBioscience’s knowledge, expertise and innovation skills will open a range of market opportunities in Europe, North America and Asia, accelerating our development in the genomics market”.
David Richardson, Chief Executive of LGC, said: “The enhanced LGC genomics service and products will deliver real benefits to our customers in research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and clinical markets. LGC is determined to take the lead in providing quality and outstanding customer service in these important areas of science”.
About LGC
LGC (www.lgcgroup.com) is an international science-based company and market leader in analytical, forensic and diagnostic services and reference standards. A progressive and innovative enterprise, LGC operates in socially responsible fields underpinning the safety, health and security of the public and the regulation of industry, for UK government departments and blue chip clients.
LGC operates internationally through four divisions - LGC Forensics, LGC Genomics, LGC Standards and LGC Science & Technology, which includes specialist laboratories delivering contracts for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and supporting LGC’s designated role as the UK’s National Measurement Institute for chemical and bioanalytical measurement.
Our operations are extensively accredited to international quality standards such as ISO 17025. With headquarters in Teddington, South West London, the LGC Group employs 1,400 staff in 27 laboratories and centres across Europe and at sites in India and China. Privatised in 1996 and now majority-owned by funds managed by Bridgepoint, LGC was founded almost 170 years ago as the Laboratory of the Government Chemist - a statutory function maintained by LGC today.
About KBioscience
KBioscience (www.kbioscience.co.uk) is a UK-based technology company focused on SNP Genotyping chemistry and novel instrumentation. Set up in 2002 to exploit the use of laser welding as a service-based science company in the SNP genotyping market, KBioscience has developed its own range of SNP genotyping chemistry and novel instrumentation. With 60 staff based in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire in the UK and a small US team in Beverly, Massachusetts, the company processes more than 1 million data points per day and has ca 500,000 validated KASP assays in stock. KBioscience has four separate divisions, namely laboratory services, reagents & consumables, instrumentation and software. Notable products include KASP SNP genotyping chemistry, the Fusion laser plate sealer, water-bath based thermal cycler and the Kleargene range of DNA purification chemistries. All of the products are supported by the internally developed, class-leading Laboratory Information Management System called KRACKEN.
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