Eurofins Scientific Announces Acquisition of Beacon Discovery, Substantially Expanding Its Integrated Drug Discovery Capabilities and Expertise

Eurofins Scientific (EUFI.PA), a global scientific leader in bioanalytical testing announces the acquisition of Beacon Discovery, a preeminent drug discovery and contract research organization (CRO) focused on G-Protein Coupled Receptor (GPCR) research. Beacon Discovery joins Eurofins Discovery, a market leading CRO with the broadest portfolio of validated in vitro pharmacology, ADMET*, and chemistry services for integrated drug discovery solutions. The transaction is expected to close in the coming weeks upon fulfilment of customary closing conditions.

Eurofins acquired Beacon Discovery for its innovative approach, years of experience in drug discovery and development as well as their profound expertise in GPCR research, complemented by their unique compound library. The addition of Beacon Discovery supports Eurofins’ strategy to be the partner of choice to the pharmaceutical industry, providing drug discovery experience, knowledge, and proven success in supporting the discovery and development of new therapeutics. Beacon Discovery significantly augments Eurofins Discovery’s capabilities and innovative methods to support and accelerate drug discovery research and development and capitalize on the growing R&D outsourcing market.

Comment from Dr. Sunny Al-Shamma, Beacon Discovery’s CEO: “Beacon Discovery is very excited to join Eurofins.  Joining the Eurofins Discovery organisation expands our opportunity to continue our drug discovery efforts and provide integrated drug discovery services with the additive and complementary capabilities provided by Eurofins Discovery”.

Comment from Dr. Gilles Martin, Eurofins’ CEO: “Beacon Discovery adds the expertise in GPCR targets and drug discovery and development experience that will advance our offering in integrated drug discovery services for our clients. This transaction is another demonstration of Eurofins’ commitment to provide the most comprehensive portfolio of laboratory services in the discovery pharmacology field which enjoys a strong outsourcing growth trend.

Notes to Editors:

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About Beacon Discovery

Founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Diego, Beacon Discovery is a world leader in GPCR-focused drug discovery.  Beacon’s mission is to efficiently identify and advance molecules targeting GPCRs from concept to clinic.  Beacon’s internal pipeline focuses on GPCRs for which the native ligand remains unknown. These orphan GPCRs provide unexploited opportunities to develop novel drugs addressing significant unmet medical need. In addition, Beacon collaborates with biopharma partners to leverage internally enabled GPCR targets and small molecule modulators as well as its wealth of GPCR discovery skills and tools. 

About Eurofins Discovery

Eurofins Discovery, a business operating under the Eurofins BioPharma Services division, has supported Drug Discovery research for over 40 years. Eurofins is recognized as the industry leader for providing drug discovery researchers the largest and most diverse portfolio of standard and custom in vitro safety & pharmacology assays and panels for drug screening and profiling. In addition to in vitro safety pharmacology strengths, we also offer a broad portfolio of over 3500 drug discovery services and 1800 products. These include in vitro assays, cell-based phenotypic assays, safety pharmacology and efficacy, ADME toxicology, medicinal chemistry design, synthetic chemistry, and custom proteins and assay development capabilities. We support a variety of drug discovery targets such as GPCRs, Kinases, Ion Channels, Nuclear Hormone Receptors and other proteins & enzymes. The Eurofins Discovery capabilities, expertise, knowledge and skill sets enable the company to provide clients the benefit of being able to work with a single outsourcing provider (CRO) for all their drug discovery programs.

About Eurofins – the global leader in bio-analysis

Eurofins is Testing for Life. Eurofins is a global leader in food, environment, pharmaceutical and cosmetic product testing and in agroscience Contract Research Organisation services. Eurofins is one of the market leaders in certain testing and laboratory services for genomics, discovery pharmacology, forensics, advanced material sciences and in the support of clinical studies, as well as having an emerging global presence in Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisations. The Group also has a rapidly developing presence in highly specialised and molecular clinical diagnostic testing and in-vitro diagnostic products.

With over 50,000 staff across a decentralised and entrepreneurial network of more than 800 laboratories in over 50 countries, Eurofins offers a portfolio of over 200,000 analytical methods to evaluate the safety, identity, composition, authenticity, origin, traceability and purity of a wide range of products, as well as providing innovative clinical diagnostic testing services and in-vitro diagnostic products.

The Group’s objective is to provide its customers with high-quality services, innovative solutions and accurate results on time. Eurofins is ideally positioned to support its clients’ increasingly stringent quality and safety standards and the increasing demands of regulatory authorities as well as the requirements of healthcare practitioners around the world.

In 2020, Eurofins reacted quickly to meet the global challenge of COVID-19, by creating the capacity to help over 10 million patients monthly who may have been impacted by the pandemic with our testing products and our services and directly supporting healthcare professionals working on the front line to fight the virus. The Group has established widespread PCR testing capabilities and has carried out over 10 million tests in its own laboratories, is supporting the development of a number of vaccines and has established its SAFER@WORK™ testing, monitoring and consulting programmes to help ensure safer environments during COVID-19.

Eurofins has grown very strongly since its inception and its strategy is to continue expanding its technology portfolio and its geographic reach. Through R&D and acquisitions, the Group draws on the latest developments in the field of biotechnology and analytical chemistry to offer its clients unique analytical solutions.

Shares in Eurofins Scientific are listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN FR0014000MR3, Reuters EUFI.PA, Bloomberg ERF FP).

Until it has been lawfully made public widely by Eurofins through approved distribution channels, this document contains inside information for the purpose of Regulation (EU) 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on market abuse, as amended.

Important disclaimer:

This press release contains forward-looking statements and estimates that involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements and estimates contained herein represent the judgment of Eurofins Scientific’s management as of the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees for future performance, and the forward-looking events discussed in this release may not occur. Eurofins Scientific disclaims any intent or obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements and estimates. All statements and estimates are made based on the information available to the Company’s management as of the date of publication, but no guarantees can be made as to their completeness or validity.

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