German life sciences group Sartorius announced that it has inked a deal to buy French gene-therapy technology company Polyplus for around $2.62 billion (2.4 billion euros).
Polyplus develops and produces transfection as well as other DNA/RNA delivery reagents and plasmid DNA in high quality and GMP grade. These are key components in the production of viral vectors used in cell and gene therapies and other advanced medicinal therapeutic products. The company, which employs around 270 people, has locations in France, Belgium, U.S. and China.
The deal was made through Sartorius' French subsidiary, Sartorius Stedim Biotech, just days after René Fáber took the helm as CEO.
“In the dynamically growing market for cell and gene therapies, viral vectors are needed to deliver the genes of interest into cells. The development pipeline of such therapies has been growing strongly and more and more are reaching major milestones. As a leading supplier of critical components to produce cell and gene therapies, Sartorius and Polyplus together will be excellently positioned to play a significant role in this dynamic field,” said Fáber.
The transaction should be completed in the third quarter this year, according to Sartorius.
