Lonza acquires technology leader in cell discovery
Swiss company Lonza has acquired cell discovery company amaxa. The transaction is subject to the approval of the anti-trust authorities, which is expected to take place early in the third quarter of 2008.
Swiss company Lonza has acquired cell discovery company amaxa. The transaction is subject to the approval of the anti-trust authorities, which is expected to take place early in the third quarter of 2008.
Lonza's and amaxa's cell discovery business are complementary, serving a similar customer base. While Lonza is the leader in the production of primary cells, amaxa is the leader in the transfection of primary cells. Customers can now get all their primary cell tools through one company. Other synergies are expected through the strengthening of the sales force and the integration of amaxa's administrative and enterprise systems into Lonza's infrastructure.
Amaxa provides a leading and unique technology called Nucleofection, a transfection method that enables efficient and reproducible transfer of nucleic acids such as DNA or RNA into cells that are considered difficult or even impossible to transfect.
The acquisition will significantly strengthen the cell discovery business of Lonza Bioscience by complementing and expanding the existing portfolio. amaxa offers high-end nucleic acid transfection systems and consumables to academic institutions and pharmaceutical and biotechnology businesses. In addition, the acquisition will strengthen Lonza Bioscience's r&d platform by tripling the size of the cell discovery r&d group.
Amaxa's Cologne site is planned to be a new product development site for the cell discovery business of Lonza Bioscience and will supplement the existing r&d activities of Lonza's US cell discovery business in Walkersville, Maryland. With the strong foothold of amaxa in Germany, Lonza gains access to the large northern Europe talent pool.
"With this acquisition Lonza further strengthens its position as a worldwide leader in cell discovery by integrating this unique, proprietary technology into its portfolio and by continuing to develop the activities in Cologne," said Lonza ceo Stefan Borgas.
