Grifols (NSDQ:GRFS) said today that it paid $51 million for a 49% stake in Access Biologicals, in a deal that includes an option to acquire the rest of the business.
That option, for the remaining 51% share in Vista, Calif.-based Access, goes live in 2022, Grifols said. The agreement also includes a provision to supply Access with non-human-use biologicals, the Spanish company said.
“The purpose of this acquisition is to enhance the activity of the Bio Supplies Division,” formerly the raw materials division, Grifols said in a regulatory filing.
Founded in 2006, Access collects and manufactures biologicals to the in vitro diagnostics, biopharmaceutical, cell culture and diagnostic R&D markets. The company claims to be the only firm “to directly collect and process Human AB serum at FDA licensed facilities located within the U.S.,” according to its website. Access has 3 divisions: the Access Plasma donation center, which includes collection and donor recruitment; Access Biologicals, which offers processed plasma and serum manufacturing, sales and marketing; and Access Cell Culture, offering a line of human and animal sera. Access also runs Saturn Biomedical, a plasma- and blood-collection center in Indianapolis, touting it as “the largest and newest specialty donor center in the U.S.”
Barcelona-based Grifols went on a buying spree last year, starting with its $100 million acquisition of a 49% stake in plasma collector Interstate Blood Bank in April 2016 (that deal also included an option to buy for the remainder). The next month, Grifols put $50 million on a 20% stake in clinical diagnostic tech developer Singulex.
And last month Hologic (NSDQ:HOLX) agreed to deal its stake in the Procleix blood-screening business it runs with Grifols, for nearly $1.9 billion.
Last September the U.S. Justice Dept. closed its probe of Grifols‘ possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
