Investor Update
Basel 27 June 2007
Roche
completes acquisition of BioVeris
Roche Diagnostics is free to expand its immunochemistry
business into new market segments
Roche Diagnostics today announces that
it has completed its acquisition of BioVeris. Roche signed the merger agreement with BioVeris
for approximately $600 million dollars on April 4, 2007. This means Roche Diagnostics now owns
the patents for Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) technology and can expand its immunochemistry business
from the human diagnostics field into new market segments such as life sciences research, life science
development, patient self-testing, veterinary testing, drug discovery, drug development and clinical
trials.
“We are excited to be able to offer ECL technology to existing
and new customers for these expanded uses. This is a highly innovative technology that our customers
and their patients will certainly benefit from,” said Andy Thomson, Senior Vice President, Centralized
Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics Corporation.
Today, Roche is a leader
in immunochemistry, driven by its highly successful Elecsys® immunochemistry product line, the fastest
growing portfolio of Roche Diagnostics’ lab diagnostics business.
About
Roche
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world’s leading
research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As the world’s
biggest biotech company and an innovator of products and services for the early detection, prevention,
diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people’s
health and quality of life. Roche is the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics and drugs for cancer and
transplantation, a market leader in virology and active in other major therapeutic areas such as autoimmune
diseases, inflammation, metabolism and central nervous system. In 2006, sales by the Pharmaceuticals
Division totalled 33.3 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 8.7 billion
Swiss francs. Roche employs roughly 75,000 worldwide and has R&D agreements and strategic alliances
with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai. For further
information, please visit our websites at www.roche-diagnostics.us and www.roche.com.
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