Acquisition of Euroscreen Products strengthens company’s position in GPCR screening
PerkinElmer latest take over is Euroscreen Products, a subsidiary of Euroscreen, in an undisclosed cash transaction. Based in Gosselies, Belgium, Euroscreen Products provides G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) membranes, cell lines, and the AequoScreen™ aequorin-based cellular assay platform. The deal is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2007. “This transaction would represent the next step in our strategy to build the most comprehensive offering in cellular screening and drug discovery reagent technologies,” says Gregory L. Summe, chairman and CEO of PerkinElmer.
“The AequoScreen platform would give PerkinElmer the ability to meet the growing demands of our pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers with a complete GPCR screening solution that improves performance and reduces workflow costs, while dramatically increasing lab productivity.”
Under the terms of the planned transaction, Euroscreen Products would transfer its portfolio of GPCR screening tools and its exclusive global license to aequorin technology, granted by the University of Georgia Research Foundation, to PerkinElmer.
Aequorin technology, based on a naturally occurring photoprotein, generates large, luminescent signals that result in higher quality data, while reducing the number of false positives in high throughput and ultrahigh-throughput screening environments, explains Summe.
PerkinElmer recently reported its agreement to purchase Evotec Technologies, which provides high-content screening (HCS) technologies to pharmaceutical and biotechnology drug discovery labs. According to Summe, the addition of Evotec and Euroscreen Products would enable PerkinElmer to provide a wide variety of custom HCS solutions to drug discovery customers and strengthen the company’s position in cellular screening.
Earlier in 2006, PerkinElmer acquired Spectral Genomics that focuses on molecular karyotyping technology used to evaluate chromosomal abnormalities; Clinical & Analytical Service Solutions, an equipment asset and managed maintenance company; and Avalon Instruments for its family bench-top dispersive Raman spectrometers.
