This brand new award recognises the dynamic nature of the life science sector by celebrating a merger, acquisition or other significant deal from 2021. In particular, we wanted to celebrate how such a deal can lay the foundations for future positive impact across the sector.

Congratulations to the winners of this award, Abcam and BioVision!

We received a range of nominations including both large and small acquisitions, all demonstrating great value to the sector. In the end, it was Abcam’s acquisition of BioVision that stood out.

Andrew Chalmers, CEO and founder of CiteAb, said ‘Many congratulations to Abcam and BioVision, their winning acquisition showcases innovation, strategy and growth potential. We can’t wait to see how this will serve the research community and wider sector.’

Details of the acquisition: Abcam acquired BioVision for $340 million in October 2021. This enabled Abcam to increase access to quality off-the-shelf assays and kits. This need has never been more urgent given the COVID-19 pandemic calling for efficient workflows and accelerated, reproducible results.

This successful acquisition combines BioVision’s biochemical assay and cell-based assay kits specialism with Abcam’s reach and expertise in antibody and protein development, enabling further in-house innovation. More practically, it will also reduce the number of steps between product manufacture and customer, ultimately benefiting the research community.