Qiagen GmbH has agreed to acquire artus Gesellschaft für molekularbiologische Diagnostik und Entwicklung mbH, an established leader in PCR-based molecular diagnostic tests for pathogenenic, genotyping and pharmacogenomic testing.
Qiagen expects that this transaction will add approximately US$15 million in net sales and US$1.5 - 2.0 million in net income to QIAGEN’s 2006 financial results.

artus focuses on selling its diagnostic assays as OEM products to leading diagnostic companies including Abbott Laboratories. Like Qiagen, artus has made significant moves towards regulatory standardization. The artus RealArt® assay range has been developed for use on a variety of open architecture detection platforms including the Roche LightCycler™, the ABI Taqman™, the RotorGene™ from Corbett Research as well as electrophoresis detection systems.

artus’ unique range spans over 60 assays including 30 CE marked assays for detection of a variety of viral and bacterial pathogens such as SARS, Herpes simplex virus -1/-2, Epstein-Barr-Virus (EBV), West Nile Virus, Malaria and Salmonella.