Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc.

!%Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc.%! of Hercules, Calif., has announced its purchase of !%2583%%Ciphergen Biosystems Inc.’s%! ProteinChip Systems business and rights to the Fremont, Calif., company’s surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization technology. The cash transaction, totaling approximately $20 million, gives the buyer manufacturing capability, selected product lines, intellectual property and access to an expanded life sciences customer base, but leaves Ciphergen rights to the diagnostics market. In a separate agreement, Bio-Rad has invested $3 million in equity in the firm and has agreed to supply it with reagents and instruments.