WALTHAM, Mass.—Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has announced a collaborative training program with Thomas Jefferson University (TJU), the Institute Pasteur and the Organization of International Visitors of the USA (OIV-USA) to preemptively confront the potential threat of an Ebola virus epidemic in Ivory Coast. The partnership will include the training of a visiting scientist, who will learn to screen samples for Ebola using advanced qPCR instruments so they can return to West Africa to train others in the field. The training program will run over the course of four weeks in the lab of Dr. Matthias Schnell, professor of microbiology and immunology at TJU. The collaboration will also provide StepOnePlus Real-Time PCR molecular screening instruments at TJU and in West Africa, where a training center will be established in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
“It is important to provide the countries of West Africa with the proper resources and training to help them combat this outbreak,” said Schnell. “With the generous support of R&D leaders Junko Stevens, Ph.D., and Jonathan Wang, Ph.D., from Thermo Fisher, we have been able to move quickly to get the appropriate state-of-the-art equipment for the training center.”
“Preventative steps like those being taken through this collaborative training program are critical to eventually put an end to this epidemic,” said Dan Didier, Head of Public Health, Thermo Fisher Scientific. “As we’ve seen with past outbreaks, this flexible molecular technology can play a key role in identifying and screening samples for many other pathogens affecting human health in the West African region.”
The company followed up that news with an announcement of the acquisition of Millersburg, Pa.-based Advanced Scientifics Inc. (ASI), a global provider of single-use technologies for customized bioprocessing solutions. Thermo Fisher Scientific will acquire ASI for $300 million in cash, and the company will be integrated into Thermo Fisher’s Life Sciences Solutions Segment. Accretion to Thermo Fisher's adjusted earnings per share from the deal are expected to be immaterial. ASI saw roughly $80 million in revenues in 2014.
“ASI’s intense customer focus has led to the development of innovative solutions that complement our existing single-use technologies and expand our offering across the bioprocessing workflow,” Marc N. Casper, president and CEO of Thermo Fisher Scientific, said in a press release. “We see this acquisition as a great opportunity to meet customer demand for quality and productivity in bioprocessing, and plan to leverage our global reach to bring these innovative products to a larger customer base.”
SOURCE: Thermo Fisher Scientific press release
