MilliporeSigma Signs Exclusive Agreement with HistoCyte Laboratories to Distribute Pathology Technology

News Release
June 19, 2018
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Karen Tiano +1 978 495 0093
  • MilliporeSigma to distribute cell line reference materials in U.S. and other select geographies
  • Reference products available in cost-effective, easy-fit blocks for laboratory workflows
  • Products to be available through e-commerce platform, SigmaAldrich.com

Burlington, Massachusetts, June 19, 2018 — MilliporeSigma today announced that it has entered into an agreement with HistoCyte Laboratories Ltd, Tyne, U.K. to be the exclusive multinational distributor of the company’s portfolio of cell line reference products for immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.

“This collaboration gives customers a cost-effective and practical solution to the problem of tissue heterogeneity,” said Jean-Charles Wirth, head of Applied Solutions at MilliporeSigma. “These reference materials strengthen MilliporeSigma’s pathology portfolio and provide a robust and standardized means for customers to achieve greater confidence in their analyses.”

Under the agreement, MilliporeSigma will employ its sales, marketing and e-commerce expertise to distribute HistoCyte Laboratories’ comprehensive range of pathology slide controls in the U.S. and other select geographies. Outside of these select geographies, HistoCyte Laboratories will continue to reach customers via its own channels. Financial details were not disclosed.

The unique cell preparations from HistoCyte Laboratories are not typical cell line preparations, Wirth noted. HistoCyte Laboratories’ slides mimic tissue morphology and protein expression much more than the average cell line slide product.

“This is important in pathology and clinical research labs where standardized tissue preparations may be in short supply, causing issues for reliable analysis and diagnosis, as well as cost,” Wirth added.

The controls will be available in cell microarray blocks, thereby fitting into laboratory workflows more easily. In block format, they are a more cost-effective standardized material for routine laboratories.

The founders of HistoCyte Laboratories have more than 30 years of experience in the in vitro diagnostics industry. Colin Tristram, who co-founded HistoCyte Laboratories with Ian Milton, said, “We are excited to have our products available and brand promoted within the U.S. and beyond by MilliporeSigma. It allows us to focus on our direct market in the U.K. and Ireland, as well as concentrate on further product development.”

MilliporeSigma’s collaboration with HistoCyte Laboratories immediately expands the U.K.-based company’s global reach. Moreover, HistoCyte Laboratories will have access into the U.S. pathology market through MilliporeSigma, a leader in innovative Life Science products.

For more information on products from HistoCyte Laboratories Ltd, visit www.histocyte.com.

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About the Life Science Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has 20,000 employees and 60 manufacturing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products enabling scientific discovery. Udit Batra is the global chief executive officer of MilliporeSigma.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany completed its $17 billion acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich in November 2015, creating a leader in the $125 billion global life science industry.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in healthcare, life science and performance materials. The company has five businesses – Biopharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, Allergopharma, Life Science and Performance Materials – and generated sales of €15.3 billion in 2017. Almost 53,000 employees work in 66 countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to foster the success of customers and to help meet global challenges.

Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is the world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company – since 1668, the company has stood for innovation, business success and responsible entrepreneurship. Holding an approximately 70 percent interest, the founding family remains the majority owner of the company to this day. The company holds the global rights to the name and the trademark “Merck” internationally except for the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.