Grifols, a global healthcare company and producer of plasma therapies, has signed an agreement to acquire the transfusion diagnostics unit of Novartis for a total of $1.7 billion. The transaction is part of Grifols’ growth strategy for its plasma protein therapies with other diagnostic products and services.
 
Grifols expands its portfolio with Novartis’ diagnostic products for transfusion medicine and immunology, including its NAT technology (Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques), instrumentation and equipment for blood screening, specific software and reagents. The assets acquired include patents, brands, licenses and royalties, together with the production plant at Emeryville, CA and commercial offices in the U.S., Switzerland and Hong Kong, among others. Grifols also gains a more efficient platform to market a wider range of diagnostic products and services in the U.S. and other countries.
 
Victor Grifols, president and chief executive officer of Grifols, said “The acquisition of Novartis’ diagnostic business is a step further into our vision to become a world leader also in the diagnostics field. To achieve this we knew we needed a significant presence in United States. We initiated the process in the Bioscience area in 2003 with the acquisition of the ATC assets and continued with the Talecris transaction in 2011. During the last two years the Diagnostic Division has been preparing for this step, especially in the immunohematolgy activities.”