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Roche buys U.S.-based Kapa Biosystems

August 20, 2015
Life sciences
(MarketWatch) – Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX) Wednesday said it has bought a U.S. gene-technology company, the latest acquisition in the area by the Swiss pharmaceutical company.
 
Basel-based Roche said it will buy Kapa Biosystems Inc., based in Wilmington, Mass., for an undisclosed sum. The closely held U.S. company has been working on ways to accelerate research into genomes, the complete set of DNA with within a single cell.
 
Roche is interested in the area because it leads to a better understanding of the genetic roots of diseases by identifying genetic mutations. Genome research can affect the future ability to diagnose, monitor and treat cancer and other conditions.
 
Kapa’s protein-engineering technology allows for the generation and screening of large numbers of enzyme variants, Roche said. Tailored enzymes with improved performance for specific applications can be rapidly selected, speeding up product development time lines, the company added.
 
Last week, Roche said it was buying GeneWEAVE BioSciences, a California-based developer of clinical microbiology with diagnostics solutions, for an initial $190 million.
 

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