Roche acquires US diabetes group

Roche of Switzerland has acquired Amira Medical, a privately-held USfirm that is active in the diabetes monitoring business. The company, based in Scotts Valley, California, employs approximately 160 people "and complements Roche Diagnostics' expertise in blood glucose monitoring," the Swiss group said. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Heino von Prondzynski, head of Roche's diagnostics division, said that the combination of Amira and his firm's "internal R&D talent will substantially contribute to increasing our company's knowledge and competencies to further extend our more than 25-year history of innovation in diabetes monitoring."