- Email: [email protected]
Millipore, Gen-Probe jointly develop nucleic acid testing products for biotech industry
ISSN 0958-2118 October 2005 www.filtsep.com
Millipore, Gen-Probe jointly develop nucleic acid testing products for biotech industry US companies Millipore Corporation and Gen-Probe Inc have formed an alliance to develop, manufacture and commercialize, on an exclusive basis, nucleic acid testing (NAT) products for rapid microbiological and virus monitoring in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Millipore’s sample preparation technology can isolate a single micro-organism from large volumes of fluid, while Gen-Probe’s NAT technology can amplify and quickly detect minute quantities of RNA specific to certain micro-organisms. Microbiological monitoring of manufacturing processes is critical to ensuring patient safety and meeting regulatory requirements. The companies believe that the combination of both technologies is ideal for rapid molecular-based microbiological testing in biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Under the terms of the agreement, Gen-Probe will be primarily responsible for assay development
and manufacturing, while Millipore will manage worldwide commercialization. The companies expect to launch the first of a series of rapid biological testing products during 2007. Based in San Diego, California, Gen-Probe develops, manufactures and markets rapid, accurate and cost-effective NATs that are used to diagnose human diseases and screen donated human blood. The company markets a broad portfolio of products that use its patented technologies to detect infectious micro-organisms, including those causing sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, strep throat, pneumonia and fungal infections. Contact: Millipore Corporation, 290 Concord Road, Billerica, MA 01821, USA. Tel: +1 978 715 4321, www.millipore.com Gen-Probe Inc, 10210 Genetic Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92121, USA. Tel: +1 858 410 8000, www.gen-probe.com
Weir sells Techna desalination businesses UK-based Weir Group has agreed to dispose of the desalination and water treatment businesses of its Techna Division to Veolia Water Systems, part of Veolia Water, the water division of Veolia Environnement. The aggregate value of the transactions is £27.7m (US$49m), translating to £17.3m ($30.6m) on a debt-free, cash-free basis. The net proceeds will be reinvested in the Weir Group’s core operations. The companies include Weir Westgarth in Scotland, Weir Entropie in France and Weir Envig in South Africa. The businesses provide specialist engineering design and system services and products in water treatment and sulfate removal, operating in the UK, France, South Africa, North and South America, the Middle East and Australia. Together they represent less than 7% of group sales. Contact: Weir Group Plc, 149 Newlands Road, Cathcart, Glasgow G44 4EX, UK. Tel: +44 141 637 7111, www.weir.co.uk
Contents
US companies competing for UK’s domnick hunter UK filtration company domnick hunter has accepted a revised offer from US-based Parker Hannifin Corporation worth about US$450 million, according to reports in the US press. The new offer, the third in a sequence of increasing bids made by the US company, comes a day after domnick agreed to an increased bid from Eaton Corporation, a diversified industrial manufacturer, also based in the US. During early August, domnick agreed to be acquired by Parker Hannifin for around $382.4m before Eaton offered $437m, say the reports. Parker then raised its bid to $418m, and Eaton increased its offer to $440m. Following an announcement by the UK’s Office of Fair Trading, all competition consents have now been obtained to allow for Parker Hannifin’s acquisition of the outstanding shares of domnick hunter. Furthermore, domnick hunter’s directors have unanimously recommended that all
of the firm’s shareholders accept the increased offer, which is also supported by senior management. domnick hunter makes industrial filtration, separation and purification systems. The company operates in 25 countries and has about 1900 employees. It also has a growing business in technology to protect against biochemical weapons. Parker Hannifin has maintained a close working relationship with domnick hunter for more than 20 years. This relationship has included professional collaboration among the management teams and employees on ways to best serve customers in the filtration markets. This collaboration has been strengthened further through a long-standing practice of supplying products to one another. The two companies have had ongoing discussions in the past years on ways to combine and extend Domnick Hunter’s market reach and product offerings to customers.
ISSN 0958-2118/05 © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.
News In Brief Features: Membrane and filtration companies aid Katrina recovery efforts
Novel membrane-based technologies reviewed
1–6 3, 5, 6
7–8 9–10
Research Trends
10–12
Patents
13–16
Events Calendar
15
Millipore, Gen-Probe jointly develop nucleic acid testing products for biotech industry US companies Millipore Corporation and Gen-Probe Inc have formed an alliance to develop, manufacture and commercialize, on an exclusive basis, nucleic acid testing (NAT) products for rapid microbiological and virus monitoring in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Millipore’s sample preparation technology can isolate a single micro-organism from large volumes of fluid, while Gen-Probe’s NAT technology can amplify and quickly detect minute quantities of RNA specific to certain micro-organisms. Microbiological monitoring of manufacturing processes is critical to ensuring patient safety and meeting regulatory requirements. The companies believe that the combination of both technologies is ideal for rapid molecular-based microbiological testing in biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Under the terms of the agreement, Gen-Probe will be primarily responsible for assay development
and manufacturing, while Millipore will manage worldwide commercialization. The companies expect to launch the first of a series of rapid biological testing products during 2007. Based in San Diego, California, Gen-Probe develops, manufactures and markets rapid, accurate and cost-effective NATs that are used to diagnose human diseases and screen donated human blood. The company markets a broad portfolio of products that use its patented technologies to detect infectious micro-organisms, including those causing sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, strep throat, pneumonia and fungal infections. Contact: Millipore Corporation, 290 Concord Road, Billerica, MA 01821, USA. Tel: +1 978 715 4321, www.millipore.com Gen-Probe Inc, 10210 Genetic Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92121, USA. Tel: +1 858 410 8000, www.gen-probe.com
Weir sells Techna desalination businesses UK-based Weir Group has agreed to dispose of the desalination and water treatment businesses of its Techna Division to Veolia Water Systems, part of Veolia Water, the water division of Veolia Environnement. The aggregate value of the transactions is £27.7m (US$49m), translating to £17.3m ($30.6m) on a debt-free, cash-free basis. The net proceeds will be reinvested in the Weir Group’s core operations. The companies include Weir Westgarth in Scotland, Weir Entropie in France and Weir Envig in South Africa. The businesses provide specialist engineering design and system services and products in water treatment and sulfate removal, operating in the UK, France, South Africa, North and South America, the Middle East and Australia. Together they represent less than 7% of group sales. Contact: Weir Group Plc, 149 Newlands Road, Cathcart, Glasgow G44 4EX, UK. Tel: +44 141 637 7111, www.weir.co.uk
Contents
US companies competing for UK’s domnick hunter UK filtration company domnick hunter has accepted a revised offer from US-based Parker Hannifin Corporation worth about US$450 million, according to reports in the US press. The new offer, the third in a sequence of increasing bids made by the US company, comes a day after domnick agreed to an increased bid from Eaton Corporation, a diversified industrial manufacturer, also based in the US. During early August, domnick agreed to be acquired by Parker Hannifin for around $382.4m before Eaton offered $437m, say the reports. Parker then raised its bid to $418m, and Eaton increased its offer to $440m. Following an announcement by the UK’s Office of Fair Trading, all competition consents have now been obtained to allow for Parker Hannifin’s acquisition of the outstanding shares of domnick hunter. Furthermore, domnick hunter’s directors have unanimously recommended that all
of the firm’s shareholders accept the increased offer, which is also supported by senior management. domnick hunter makes industrial filtration, separation and purification systems. The company operates in 25 countries and has about 1900 employees. It also has a growing business in technology to protect against biochemical weapons. Parker Hannifin has maintained a close working relationship with domnick hunter for more than 20 years. This relationship has included professional collaboration among the management teams and employees on ways to best serve customers in the filtration markets. This collaboration has been strengthened further through a long-standing practice of supplying products to one another. The two companies have had ongoing discussions in the past years on ways to combine and extend Domnick Hunter’s market reach and product offerings to customers.
ISSN 0958-2118/05 © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.
News In Brief Features: Membrane and filtration companies aid Katrina recovery efforts
Novel membrane-based technologies reviewed
1–6 3, 5, 6
7–8 9–10
Research Trends
10–12
Patents
13–16
Events Calendar
15