Sigma-Aldrich, a leading life science and high-technology company, has entered into an agreement to acquire Rocklin, California, based Cell Marque Corporation in a move to strengthen its antibody portfolio and to better serve immunohistochemistry (IHC) customers. Cell Marque designs, develops and manufactures antibody reagents and kits, an offering that will complement Sigma-Aldrich's IHC product family.

The company expects this acquisition to be neutral to mildly accretive to earnings per share in 2015. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, is anticipated to close by the end of 2014.

Cell Marque is well-recognized in IHC for its high quality products and technical expertise, including validated, fit-for-purpose antibodies and IHC staining kits aimed at pathologists and clinicians focused on patient management. The company employs more than 90 people.

"We expect that Cell Marque's strong in vitro diagnostic (IVD) antibody product lines and solid relationships with pathologists and companies that provide automated staining instrumentation will broaden the diagnostic health reach of Sigma-Aldrich," commented Frank Wicks, Ph.D., president of Sigma-Aldrich's Applied Business Unit. "Cell Marque's scientific knowledge and experience in the design, validation and manufacturing of IVD antibodies for immunohistochemistry make them an attractive addition to our business, complementing our workflow solutions aimed at IVD customers. With these products and the scientific expertise behind them, we can build upon our extensive capabilities in this area, providing even greater value to current and new customers alike."

Nora Lacey, president & CEO, Cell Marque said, "I believe that there is great synergy between Sigma-Aldrich and Cell Marque, and being a member of the Sigma-Aldrich family will bring our customers a partner with the depth and breadth of resources to continually innovate and expand upon our product offering. I am convinced that the legacy Cell Marque has created through its dedication and commitment to our customers will be carried on by Sigma-Aldrich into the future as we are all committed to providing customers with unsurpassed quality and service."