Bioanalytics booster: Sartorius takes stake in Automated Lab Solutions

Sartorius has acquired 62.5% of cell isolation firm Automated Lab Solutions (ALS) with the remaining shares set to be purchased in 2026.

Jena, Germany headquartered ALS is the latest investment in bioanalytics by life sciences firm Sartorius. The deal, announced late last year, adds solutions for the automated analysis, selection and isolation of cells to Sartorius’ offerings, and adds around 30 people to its staff.

Gerry Mackay, member of the Executive Board and Head of the Lab Products & Services Division of Sartorius, said the deal will help its customers to increase their overall R&D efficiency and bring medicines faster to the market.

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“With the acquisition of a majority stake in ALS, we are extending our offer in the field of bioanalytics by another complementary technology, further broadening our position in life science research,” he said.

“As a result, we are also strengthening our access to customers in very early stages of drug development.”

ALS generated sales in the high single-digit million-euro area in 2021, with a double-digit EBITDA margin.

According to CEO Gerd Bornmann, the combination with Sartorius is “a fundamental step in our journey from a manufacturer of laboratory systems to a provider of complete end-to-end solutions,” enabling “ALS to speed up new developments and to complement our existing product portfolio with additional consumables, reagent kits and protocols.”

Sartorius has been growing its bioanalytics solutions business over the years. In 2015, the firm acquired Germany’s Cellca, a cell line development company, and in the same year bought Scotland’s BioOutsource, an analytics and product characterization business. And in 2017, the firm paid $320 million for cell-based assays and instrumentation firm Essen BioScience. All have been integrated into Sartorius’ Cell Line Development and Testing Solutions business, centered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.