Siemens Healthineers, Erlangen, Germany, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Epocal Inc, a subsidiary of Alere Inc. Epocal develops and provides point-of-care blood diagnostic systems for healthcare enterprises, including the Epoc blood analysis system, a handheld, wireless testing solution.
Financial details of the transaction are not being disclosed. The transaction is subject to the completion of Abbott’s acquisition of Alere, as well as antitrust approvals and other customary closing conditions.
“We want to help our customers innovate care delivery,” says Peter Koerte, president of point-of-care diagnostics at Siemens Healthineers. “As one of the market leaders in blood gas, the acquisition of the Epoc product line will enable us to provide the right solution in the right setting, all from one partner.
“The acquisition complements our existing offerings in the point-of-care diagnostics space, with a view to provide customers globally with a full range of blood gas solutions,” Koerte adds.
With a complete offering for blood gas diagnostics from a low-volume, single-use handheld device up to a high-volume, multiuse benchtop solution, Siemens Healthineers seeks to help customers improve their workflows and utilize the correct system for the needs of their particular settings.
Arterial blood gases aid in the monitoring of the acid-base balance of patients. They play an important role in the work-up and management of critically ill patients and may help in diagnosing pulmonary and metabolic disorders. They indicate the severity of a condition and help to assess treatment.
