Sartorius Stedim Biotech has entered an agreement to acquire UK-based TAP Biosystems Group in a transaction valued at €33 million. The transaction, subject to customary closing conditions, has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies and is expected to close at the end of 2013.
 
TAP Biosystems specializes in the design and development of small-scale, multi-parallel fermentation systems for biopharma applications. Its ambr-product family includes a recently launched platform technology for single-use fermentation designed to mimic mammalian cell culture at small scale, providing an alternative to conventional systems. TAP’s portfolio also includes automated cell processing systems and other bench top equipment. Biosystems generated sales revenue of approximately €26 million in 2012/13 and employs 160 people worldwide.
 
Joachim Kreuzburg, the chief executive of Sartorius Stedim Biotech, said, “TAP Biosystems’ fermentors are a great fit extending our reach into small-scale cell culture applications. Adding capabilities in the early steps of upstream bioprocessing will enable us to provide our biopharma customers highly effective and scalable solutions to accelerate cell line selection, speed-up process development and ultimately help them bringing their biologics to market faster.”