Dublin biotech company ValitaCell has been acquired by Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, based in Indianapolis.
ValitaCell creates analytical technologies and products for the biopharmaceutical industry, with the aim of reducing the cost and time to market for new therapeutics.
According to ValitaCell, compared to other industry quantification assays, the ValitaTiter product outperforms in terms of speed and ease of use, and offers numerous advantages over other long and tedious techniques, like ELISA and HPLC.
The firm’s technologies are patented in key international markets and the company has been honoured with several awards, including the Irish Pharmaceutical Awards Pharma Startup of the Year in 2017 and InterTrade Ireland’s Seedcorn award.
It also was recognised as one of the most successful Irish companies in Horizon 2020.
In Association with
Beckman Coulter specialises in laboratory automation and innovation, and its biotechnology business unit has collaborated with ValitaCell for some time before the buyout.
General manager Jason Lanie said: “Throughout our trusted partnership with ValitaCell, we have long admired their innovative offerings and industry expertise.
“Their portfolio of products, including ValitaTiter, Quantum, CellAi, and ChemStress Clone Robustness complement Beckman Coulter Life Sciences’ existing and future product portfolio, and is designed with the same goal of providing faster cellular analysis while decreasing the risk of errors. We are excited to welcome their team and look forward to growing the Ireland Innovation and Development Centres for Biologics.”
ValitaCell founder and chief executive Dr Jerry Clifford added: “ValitaCell has a proven record for delivering innovative products and we are excited to build upon our successful partnership with Beckman Coulter Life Sciences.
"We never take for granted what our advances can do for patients while also reducing manual workflow burdens on laboratory staff. Together we will advance our shared ambition to accelerate and enable the sustainable manufacture of innovative biological medicines to bring them to market faster.”
DOWNLOAD VALITACELL DECEMBER 2020 BALANCE SHEET
Clifford was working as commercial director with the Technopath Group from 2011, which is when the idea of ValitaCell was born, and in 2014 he spun out ValitaCell as part of an internal transaction.
Describing the company, Clifford stated: “ValitaCell is a young, dynamic business and I feel we are only getting started. One central ambition drives everyone at ValitaCell — we want to enable the sustainable manufacture of innovative biological medicines for all.
“The bio-manufacturing sector needs a paradigm shift in the cost base to translate discoveries to sustainable healthcare interventions: this is what occupies everyone at ValitaCell.
"Speed, cost, sustainability and safety of manufacturing both blockbuster and non-blockbuster medicines are our drivers. We are developing pioneering technology in the field of biologics and some excellent R&D work is under way in the areas of cell therapy and AI.”
ValitaCell has operations in Dublin and Galway, and both are expected to expand following the deal.
Photo (l-r): Dr Jerry Clifford, head of innovation Dr Ben Thompson and Dr Terry McWade
