News
04-July 2011
– LGC
acquires
KBioscience
LGC’s Genomics division combines with KBioscience
to create a market leader in genomic services and
solutions
LGC, the international
science-based company and market leader in analytical, forensic and
diagnostic services and reference standards, is pleased to announce
that LGC’s Genomics division and
KBioscience have come together
to create a market-leading genomic services and solutions provider.
The combination has been enabled through the acquisition by LGC
Limited (‘LGC’) of KBiosciences Limited (‘KBioscience’) on 1 July.
The founders of KBioscience remain partners and significant
shareholders in the enlarged business alongside LGC.
The acquisition of KBioscience, with its unique expertise in
genotyping services, chemistries and related products, extends and
complements LGC’s cutting-edge genomic services and products,
supplied through its LGC Genomics division.
The combining of LGC’s and KBioscience’s activities furthers LGC
Genomics’ aim to become Europe’s leading provider of genomic
services and related products. Both KBioscience and LGC have
established national and international reputations.
Formed in 2002, KBioscience has almost 10 years’ experience
developing and optimising genotyping assays using the company’s
patented fluorescence-based competitive allele-specific PCR
(polymerase chain reaction) technique, KASP. KBioscience’s
scientists have contributed significantly to the development of
new, genotyping technologies making affordable projects accessible
to a broad range of customers independent of project
size.
LGC's products and services in DNA sequencing and extraction are
fully complementary to the systems and services developed by
KBioscience. The combined business benefits from a significant
shared customer base and will use the knowledge and skills of the
LGC and KBioscience teams to deliver a comprehensive set of
genomics services, products and future innovations.
Phil Robinson, Managing Director and one of the three founding
partners of KBioscience, commented: “I am very excited at the
opportunities that our acquisition by LGC holds - the combination
of LGC’s well-known qualities and KBioscience’s knowledge,
expertise and innovation skills will open a range of market
opportunities in Europe, North America and Asia, accelerating our
development in the genomics market”.
David Richardson, Chief Executive of
LGC, said: “The enhanced LGC genomics service and
products will deliver real benefits to our customers in research,
biotechnology, pharmaceutical and clinical markets. LGC is
determined to take the lead in providing quality and outstanding
customer service in these important areas of science”.
- Ends -
Notes to editors
About
KBioscience
KBioscience (www.kbioscience.co.uk) is a
UK-based technology company focused on SNP Genotyping chemistry and
novel instrumentation. Set up in 2002 to exploit the use of laser
welding as a service-based science company in the SNP genotyping
market, KBioscience has developed its own range of SNP genotyping
chemistry and novel instrumentation.
With 60 staff based in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire in the UK and a
small US team in Beverly, Massachusetts, the company processes more
than 1 million data points per day and has ca 500,000 validated
KASP assays in stock. KBioscience has four separate
divisions, namely laboratory services, reagents & consumables,
instrumentation and software. Notable products include KASP SNP
genotyping chemistry, the Fusion laser plate sealer, water-bath
based thermal cycler and the Kleargene range of DNA purification
chemistries. All of the products are supported by the internally
developed, class-leading Laboratory Information Management System
called KRAKEN.