Qiagen Acquires DxS and Unveils Companion Diagnostic Pipeline

Qiagen N.V. (Hilden, Germany) has acquired DxS Ltd. (DxS; Manchester, UK), a privately held developer and manufacturer of companion diagnostic products. The transaction is valued at approximately US $95 million in cash (subject to purchase price adjustments), plus up to an additional $35 million if specified commercial and other milestones are met. Qiagen expects this transaction to contribute approximately $6 million in sales in the remainder of 2009 and approximately $30 million in sales in 2010.

DxS has developed a set of molecular diagnostic assays that allow oncologists to predict patients' responses to certain treatments in order to make cancer therapies more effective and safer. The currently marketed portfolio includes seven real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests including a test for the mutation status of the oncogene K-RAS. This test is given to colorectal cancer patients to determine whether they should be treated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors. Additional assays are being developed, three of which are in the near-term pipeline. DxS' assays are suitable for use with Qiagen's suite of platform instruments, including QIAsymphony and Rotor-Gene Q.

In addition, Qiagen revealed that the combined company is currently active in over 15 collaborations with pharmaceutical companies to market and/or develop companion diagnostic products. The programs span genetic, expression, epigenetic and other markers.

"The acquisition of DxS is strategically a highly important transaction for Qiagen. It combines two leadership positions to create a very powerful leader in a transformational area of healthcare: personalized healthcare. This transaction is a key element of our strategy to lead in molecular diagnostic-based prevention, profiling and personalized healthcare. These three elements are expected to significantly shape and contribute to future improvements in healthcare and have the potential to provide significant benefits to patients as well as exceptional value for payers, providers, and the pharmaceutical industry", said Peer M. Schatz, CEO of Qiagen.

Qiagen N.V. is a global provider of sample and assay technologies. Sample technologies are used to isolate and process DNA, RNA, and proteins from biologic samples such as blood or tissue. Assay technologies are used to make such isolated biomolecules visible. Qiagen has developed and markets more than 500 sample and assay products as well as automated solutions for such consumables. The company provides its products to molecular diagnostics laboratories, academic researchers, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and applied testing customers.

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