Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan and Marcy l’Etoile, France - Jun. 4, 2007. Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd. (TSE: 4549), and bioMérieux (Euronext: BIM) have today signed an agreement by which some Pre-Poured Media (PPM) provided to bioMérieux customers in Japan will be replaced by those manufactured by Eiken. This agreement should be set in force in August 2007.
Mr. Tetsuya Teramoto, President and Chief Executive Officer of Eiken Chemical, said: “Since our foundation, we have been developing and offering reagents for microbiological investigation in order to prevent infectious diseases and food contamination. Today, we also develop and offer a wide range of in vitro diagnostic products, and specifically culture media, which contribute to progress in public health. We have now come to an agreement with bioMérieux, one of the largest global companies in this field, regarding service and distribution. This is a sign of recognition of the quality of our products on the Japanese market and therefore, we will make every effort possible to ensure this collaboration is a success.”
“We are very pleased to have reached this agreement with such a leading company on the Japanese in vitro diagnostic market”, said Mr. Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of bioMérieux. “We are looking forward to building a successful partnership together. This agreement is critical for our 2012 strategy: to become the undisputed global leader in microbiology and increase our presence in the Japanese market”, he added.
"I know the excellent reputation of Eiken Chemical regarding quality and service. Therefore, I am delighted that bioMérieux Japan and Eiken Chemical are going to collaborate in the field of PPM. I am convinced both companies will mutually benefit from such a collaboration", said Bruno Bombarde, General Manager of bioMérieux Japan Co. Ltd.
About Eiken Chemical
Since its foundation in 1939, Eiken Chemical has been contributing to public health and the prevention of epidemics through reagents for microbiological diagnostics. In the field of general diagnostics, as well as in the fields of biochemistry, immunology and genetic diagnostics, the company has contributed to the advancement of medical treatment and patient health through the development of reagents and equipment.
About bioMérieux
Advancing Diagnostics to Improve Public Health
A world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics for over 40 years, bioMérieux is present in more than 150 countries through 35 subsidiaries and a large network of distributors. In 2006, revenues reached €1.037 billion with 83% of sales outside of France.
bioMérieux provides diagnostic solutions (reagents, instruments, software) which determine the source of disease and contamination to improve patient health and ensure consumer safety. Our products are used for diagnosing infectious diseases and providing high medical value results for cardiovascular emergencies and cancer screening and monitoring. They are also used for detecting microorganisms in agri-food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. bioMérieux is listed on Eurolist by Euronext. Other information can be found at www.biomerieux.com.