News Release October 29, 2007
Contact:
Julie Scott
303.361.2873
Bonfils Blood Center
Jennifer Tramontana
303.929.9636
LABS Inc.
LABS Inc. to Acquire Assets of Laboratories at Bonfils
Country’s leading testing facility will serve specialized needs of organ procurement organizations, eye and tissue banks in one centralized location
DENVER (October 29, 2007) – LABS Inc. has reached an agreement with Colorado’s Bonfils Blood Center to acquire the assets of Laboratories at Bonfils– a subsidiary of the blood center. The parties signed the asset purchase agreement today and expect to close the agreement by the end of the year.
Laboratories at Bonfils, owned and operated by Bonfils Blood Center since 1998, has been a premier reference laboratory in transplant medicine for more than 25 years. It is the leading industry resource for donor eligibility testing for the human eye, tissue, reproductive, stem cell and solid organ transplant industry. The majority of U.S. tissue and eye banks currently utilize Laboratory at Bonfils services because of its quality, cutting-edge technology and its unique ability to perform donor eligibility and suitability testing under one roof.
“Although Bonfils Blood Center is divesting its holdings in Laboratories at Bonfils our partnership in the community will remain strong,” asserts Thomas C. Puckett, president and chief executive officer of Bonfils Blood Center. “This move allows both Bonfils Blood Center and LABS Inc. the opportunity to enhance services to our community. Together our work will save and enhance the lives of patients in need.”
“Consistent improvement in the safety of human organs and tissue for transplant has driven growth for transplants and LABS Inc. will continue to provide accurate, high quality and timely testing methods,” said Elizabeth Hearty, chief executive officer of LABS Inc. “Our vision is to be a leader in the transplant community by offering a consultative and partnering approach to quality laboratory services.”
LABS Inc. is a nonprofit, taxable affiliate of AlloSource, a Colorado-based, nonprofit provider of bone and soft tissue allografts to local communities. LABS Inc. retains its own management team reporting to an independent board of directors. All current Laboratories at Bonfils staff, including, senior management, PhDs and highly qualified laboratory personnel, will continue to provide unparalleled consultative expertise and industry knowledge to customers under the new LABS Inc. name. LABS Inc. will continue to serve the needs of the Denver community by providing a full range of testing services to Denver health facilities. The impeccable service and quality testing that its customers have come to expect will remain unchanged.
About Bonfils Blood Center
For nearly 65 years, Bonfils Blood Center has supported the community blood supply and has played an instrumental role in the lives of patients in need throughout Colorado and beyond. Bonfils Blood Center supplies blood to more than 200 healthcare facilities and needs to collect 4,350 blood donations weekly to meet the needs of the community and to be prepared for any unexpected events. For information about Bonfils Blood Center, please visit www.bonfils.org or call (303) 366-2000.
About LABS Inc.
LABS Inc., based in Denver, Colorado is one of the country’s premier transplant medicine reference laboratories. Its testing is focused on donor eligibility determination and final product safety; infectious disease testing, microbiology, histocompatibilty and environmental monitoring. LABS Inc. is committed to respectfully fulfilling the wishes of donors by ensuring the gift is able to generate positive patient outcomes. LABS Inc. employs over 100 people.
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