Roche has signed an agreement under which it will acquire 100% of Verum Diagnostica, based in Munich, Germany. Verum Diagnostica is a leading company in platelet function testing, the fastest-growing field in the coagulation diagnostics market.

The acquisition supports plans Roche announced in October to expand its coagulation testing product line in North America beyond physician offices and outpatient clinics with the development of a full line of coagulation analyzers for hospital and reference laboratories. The new line is expected to be introduced in the U.S. and Canada in 2014, subject to regulatory approval and other requirements.

"With this acquisition we gain an innovative and unique platelet function testing solution which has the potential to set new standards of patient care in this area and perfectly complements our new coagulation portfolio," said Colin Brown, head of Roche Professional Diagnostics.

Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, Roche will pay Verum Diagnostica shareholders a total cash consideration of eleven million euros, and potentially a further two million euros contingent upon reaching certain performance-related milestones. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in January 2012