Diagnostics company bioMerieux (PARIS:BIM) is acquiring French microbiological analysis company AES Laboratoire for $260 million.
France-based bioMerieux, which has its U.S. headquarters in Durham, North Carolina, gains AES’ expertise in analyzing microbiological samples in industrial settings. The acquisition is bioMerieux’s ninth in five years.
BioMerieux’s strength is in medical diagnostics and some of the company’s recent acquisitions have reflected the company’s effort to boost its capabilities in that area. For example, in 2008, bioMerieux gained molecular diagnostics capabilities with its $60 million purchase of San Diego company AviaraDx, whose molecular testing technology is used for cancer diagnostics. BioMerieux is also in a partnership with pharmaceutical firm Ipsen (PARIS:IPN) to develop companion diagnostics for cancer, tests that help doctors make therapeutic decisions about how to treat patients and which drugs to use.
