Essen BioScience, an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based provider of cell-based assays and instrumentation used for life sciences research, has been acquired by Sartorius Group AG (FWB: SRT), for $320m.
Founded in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1996, Essen BioScience develops and manufactures instruments, software, reagents and consumables which enable researchers to remotely image and quantitate a wide variety of cellular processes over time. The IncuCyte® System, is a real-time quantitative live-cell analysis platform that enables visualization and quantification of cell behavior over time by automatically gathering and analyzing images around the clock within a standard laboratory incubator.
The system allows researchers to make time-lapsed fully kinetic measurements from living cells over days and weeks thus providing insight into active biological processes in real time.
Essen BioScience was a portfolio company of private equity firm SFW Capital Partners, which acquired a controlling interest in Essen in May 2014, recruited Brett Williams as CEO and supported the management team in executing a wide range of strategic, organizational, and operating initiatives to drive organic revenue growth and the adoption of Essen’s IncuCyte live cell analysis platform.
With SFW’s support, Essen made substantial investments in the development of new applications for the IncuCyte instrument that incorporated integrated instrumentation, software, reagents and consumables, and in enhancing its sales, marketing, service and field support capabilities.
FinSMEs
03/04/2017