Beckman Coulter announced today it has acquired the assets of Q3DM, which includes Q3DM's cell imaging platform, software and cell imaging applications used in pharmaceutical research, cell analysis laboratories and universities. Under terms of the agreement, Q3DM will receive from Beckman Coulter a combination of cash and royalties on instrument sales. Further details were not disclosed.
"This addition to Beckman Coulter's systems biology platform strengthens our cellular analysis solutions portfolio by allowing us to pursue opportunities for delivering novel cell-based assays," said Elias Caro, president of Beckman Coulter's Biomedical Research Division. "Our past experience and current focus on research cellular analysis, combined with the successful launch of the FC 500 flow cytometer, have prepared us to aggressively pursue the cellular analysis market."
"The acquisition of Q3DM's leading high throughput cell imaging technologies by the company that pioneered automated cytometry systems with the Coulter Counter over 50 years ago, will accelerate market acceptance of automated microscopy systems and enable Beckman Coulter to capture a significant share of the rapidly developing cell-based imaging research market," said Jeffrey Price, MD, PhD, founder of Q3DM Inc. "Beckman Coulter's global presence and extensive experience in biological and clinical laboratory process automation is a perfect fit for continued development and application of this next generation of cell measurement."
Beckman Coulter will begin selling the EIDAQ 100 high throughput microscopy system immediately. In the coming years, Beckman Coulter plans to introduce new high throughput cellular imaging products utilizing Q3DM's robust focusing technology and cellular image data mining software.
Beckman Coulter develops and markets instruments, chemistries, software and supplies that simplify and automate laboratory processes throughout the biomedical testing continuum.