Qiagen Weighs Stake Sale in $1 Billion Bioinformatics Arm

Qiagen NV is weighing the sale of a minority stake in its bioinformatics division, which could value that business at more than $1 billion, people familiar with the matter said.

(Bloomberg) — Qiagen NV is weighing the sale of a minority stake in its bioinformatics division, which could value that business at more than $1 billion, people familiar with the matter said.

The Dutch diagnostics firm is working with a financial adviser as it explores bringing in an investor, according to the people. Selling a stake in the unit, which provides software for analyzing biological data, could help fund further growth in this business, the people said.

The deal is likely to attract interest from private equity firms, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. Any transaction would see Qiagen keep a majority stake in the bioinformatics business, which is profitable, the people said.

Talks are ongoing and no final decisions have been made. A representative for Qiagen declined to comment.

Qiagen’s deliberations add to a flurry of potential deal activity from health-care companies looking to raise funds to focus on growth areas. Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. is weighing a sale of its pharmacy automation business, while Dentsply Sirona Inc. is exploring a carveout of its bladder and bowel-control product unit, Bloomberg News reported this week.

Based in Venlo in the southeast of the Netherlands, Qiagen has been the subject of takeover interest in recent years. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. abandoned plans for a $12 billion takeover of the company in 2020, while French rival BioMerieux was reported in 2021 to be in talks about a potential merger that never came to pass.

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