Roche acquires NimbleGen to enter microarray market

Roche and NimbleGen Systems have signed a definitive agreement under which Roche will acquire 100% of NimbleGen, a privately held, Madison, Wisconsin, USA-based company active in high-density DNA microarrays.

DNA microarrays are a widely used discovery and research tool in pharma research for the understanding of genetic causes of disease and predisposition factors, comparative genomic analysis and identification of potential drug targets. Under the terms of the agreement, Roche will pay NimbleGen's shareholders US$272.5m.

'The Array Systems from NimbleGen are highly synergistic and will complement the existing Roche portfolio of innovative genomic research tools such as the LightCycler qPCR systems and the high-throughput Sequencing Systems from the recently acquired company 454 Life Sciences.' said Severin Schwan, ceo division Roche diagnostics

Stan Rose, NimbleGen ceo, added: 'Joining Roche will accelerate and broaden NimbleGen's opportunities with our high density DNA microarray business as well as with new technologies focused on targeted DNA sequencing.'

NimbleGen will become a fully integrated part of Roche Applied Science, a global business area of the Diagnostic Division of Roche. NimbleGen will be further expanding its product portfolio in the near future to include higher density arrays, integrated instrument systems, and related reagents and consumables for advanced genome analysis. Roche plans to maintain the current NimbleGen facilities in Madison, USA, Reykjavik, Iceland, and Waldkraiburg, Germany as well as the company's 140 employees.

Worldwide, the micro array systems market is worth approximately $600m and showed 10% growth in 2006.

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2007, subject to approval by NimbleGen's shareholders and regulatory clearance.