Under the terms of the agreement, Sigma-Aldrich will use its sales, marketing and eCommerce expertise, and leverage the strength of its relationships with the scientific community, to present and distribute the Roche biochemical reagents product portfolio, which includes kits and enzymes for cellular analysis, proteomics and conventional PCR applications.
A Sigma spokesman told us the company now sells around 250,000 reagents and “the addition of this portfolio will help enhance that scientific experience for our customers.” He added that the company was awarded the deal because it has the distribution scale to get those products to the market.
“We’re working with Roche today on transitioning those portfolios to make sure all the customers get a seamless transition,” he added.
Paul Brown, Head of Roche Molecular Diagnostics, added that the agreement “allows us to provide more customers with access to high-quality Roche Biochemical Reagent products” and will allow Roche to have more flexibility “to devote more resources to our primary focus areas."
Transition of the Roche portfolio to Sigma-Aldrich is expected to take place later this year. In the interim, these products will continue to be available through existing Roche channels.
Products covered by the agreement include:
• Genomics – Products for DNA labeling and detection, restriction enzymes, molecular cloning kits, and conventional PCR applications;
• Cellular Analysis –Tissue dissociation reagents, transfection reagents and functional cell assays; and
• Proteomics – Protease and phosphatase inhibitors, assay substrates, antibodies and protein detection and purification reagents.
The distribution deal will not change the distribution, sales, and support of nucleic acid purification (NAP) or qPCR instruments and reagents, Sigma added, noting that Roche remains committed to supporting these products and continuing to provide innovative solutions in this area. The agreement also does not include products for in vitro diagnostic use.