Hologic, Grifols close $2B Procleix blood-screening biz sale

Hologic (NSDQ:HOLX) said today that it closed the sale of its stake in the Procleix blood-screening business it runs with Grifols (NSDQ:GRFS) for nearly $1.9 billion.

Hologic, which makes the Procleix line, said it dealt its stake for $1.85 billion to Barcelona-based Grifols, which sells the molecular assays and instruments. Blood banks use the products to screen donated blood for viruses, including HIV, hepatitis C and B, West Nile and Zika.

Marlborough, Mass.-based Hologic is due to hold on to the rights for the Tigris and Panther systems but said it plans to work with its Spanish partner to develop new screening instruments.

The deal includes the rights to the patents behind the Procleix line, as well as the transfer of Hologic’s 175-worker plant outside San Diego in Rancho Bernardo, Calif.

“Completing the divestiture of our blood screening business will strengthen our efforts to build a sustainable growth company by accelerating top- and bottom-line growth rates, while significantly increasing financial flexibility,” Hologic chairman, president & CEO Steve MacMillan said in prepared remarks. “We are immensely proud of the contributions we have made to global blood safety over nearly 20 years, and wish our former employees and partner much continued success in the field.”

Seegene (KSDQ:096530) said today that it inked a collaboration deal with Hologic to develop high-multiplex, real-time PCR reagents for the developing Panther Fusion system.

According to the agreement, Seegene will develop and manufacture multiplex assays for Hologic’s next-gen molecular diagnostics platform; Hologic will receive worldwide commercialization rights to the assays. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

HOLX shares were trading at $40.49 apiece in mid-morning activity, down -0.1%.

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