Amersham Biosciences was formed from the merger between Amersham Life Sciences (UK) and Pharmacia Biotech (Sweden) in 1997. In March 2002 Amersham purchased Pharmacia Corp's 45 per cent shareholding in Amersham Biosciences, taking Amersham's ownership of the business to 100 per cent. The business is headquartered in Piscataway,
New Jersey, USA, with major regional offices in Uppsala, Sweden and Amersham, UK. Amersham Biosciences comprises two business areas: discovery systems, headed by Andrew Carr, and protein separations, headed by Peter Ehrenheim.

Turning molecular medicine into reality

Fifty years ago, the double helix structure of DNA was discovered. In 2001, scientists completed the map of the human genome - the complete blueprint, or genetic code, for a human being. Our genes determine whether our eyes are blue or brown. They also determine our susceptibility to disease, and how we respond to treatment. Amersham Biosciences provides scientists with the tools to investigate the genetic and molecular basis for human development and disease, and to apply this knowledge to the discovery of new drugs and the manufacture of biologically-based medicines.

Amersham Biosciences is a leading global provider of products and services used in gene, protein and cell research, drug discovery and development, and biopharmaceutical manufacturing.

Our discovery systems business area generates the knowledge that feeds advances in diagnostics, our understanding of disease, and new medicines. We provide high throughput systems (instruments, reagents and software) to improve the effectiveness of life science and pharmaceutical R&D, as well as laboratory research tools and technology to purify, detect and analyse biological molecules. Our products include technologies for DNA sequencing, gene expression and genetic variation, for the study of proteins and their role in biological function, for the analysis of cellular processes in metabolism and disease, and for screening and testing of potential new drugs.

Our protein separations business area is the clear market leader, supplying technologies used in the manufacture of over 90 per cent of the more than 100 biological drugs currently on the market. We provide chromatography purification systems, membrane products and media used in the manufacture of biopharmaceuticals (any biologically-derived drug, eg. insulin, vaccines, DNA-based medicines, monoclonal antibodies, interferon). We also provide products for the laboratory scale separation of proteins for research and drug development.

More information can be found in The World of Protein Separations video which in 2003 has won an Intermedia-Globe Gold Award from the World Media Festival, a Silver Screen Award from the US International Film and Video Festival and First Prize in the High-End Public Relations Category from Guldklappan, staged by the Swedish Public Relations Association in conjunction with the Swedish National Film Festival.

Download RealOne

Amersham Biosciences' customers include universities, medical schools and academic centres of excellence around the world, private and publicly funded research organisations, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

Amersham Biosciences - Protein Separations & Discovery Systems

 # Denotes ongoing business growth excluding discontinued products.

Visit the Amersham Biosciences website.