GE Healthcare

Based in Chalfont St. Giles, UK, !%GE Healthcare%!, a unit of General Electric Co., has agreed to acquire !%1013%%Applied Precision Inc.%!, a supplier of cellular imaging technologies for cell biology and biomedical research. The acquisition of the Issaquah, Wash., company will allow GE Healthcare to expand its product and service offerings for pharmaceutical and life sciences research. The strategic fit between the businesses and the expanded capabilities in product development and marketing are expected to bring significant long-term benefits to customers. Applied Precision supplies high- and superresolution microscopy instruments with software and data visualization tools for cellular research. They are complementary to GE Healthcare’s In Cell Analyzer systems for high-throughput subcellular analysis. Subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, the acquisition was scheduled to close in the second quarter of 2011.