Thermo Fisher Scientific, a medical device manufacturer based in Waltham, Massachusetts, announced that it had acquired picoSpin, a healthcare products company based in Boulder, Colorado, for an undisclosed price.

According to a press release from the company, picoSpin is one of the world’s first manufacturers of miniaturized nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers. Thermo Fisher plans to use the technology to expand its existing portfolio of spectroscopy products. In addition, it plans to use the miniaturized NMR technology to improve its analytical tools used in graduate and undergraduate chemistry labs.

John Sos is the general manager and vice president of the molecular spectroscopy division at Thermo Fisher Scientific. In prepared remarks, he said, "Adding picoSpin’s unique product offerings to our existing capabilities in spectroscopy enables us to offer an even broader suite of chemical analysis." He continued, "Bringing NMR capabilities to new markets where its practicality has been limited represents significant value for our customers."

According to the press release, the picoSpin-45 was first introduced in 2010. The shoebox-sized tool is 70 times smaller than similar products on the market. However, it offers the same capabilities and resolution as fully-sized devices. Some have speculated that the device may bring MRI-like capabilities to “tricorder” devices in the future. Instead of visiting a healthcare facility for an MRI, a patient may be able to swipe a small handheld device over the body.

References

http://ir.thermofisher.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=89145&p=irol-news&nyo=0