Cerba HealthCare, a benchmark in the field of medical diagnosis, has reached an agreement with European Laboratory Solutions (ELS) to acquire a 100% stake in the company, which owns the Lifebrain network in Italy.  Once the acquisition completed, Cerba HealthCare will become number 1 in the medical diagnosis market in Italy.

Based in France, Cerba Healthcare has sound positions in Europe and Africa thanks to its historical activities in routine and specialty clinical pathology. The Group also has a worldwide presence through its expertise in clinical pathology for clinical trials, which enables it to validate and boost the effectiveness of new treatments and vaccines.

In Italy, Lifebrain is a leading player boasting unparalleled experience in acquisitions and a strong geographical presence with three hubs and nearly 360 sites.

The acquisition will allow Cerba HealthCare Italia to bring patients and the medical community all its scientific expertise and diagnosis offer through Italy’s largest network of laboratories, thereby meeting the needs of the greatest number of people. 

Cerba HealthCare CEO Catherine Courboillet said: “With an extensive presence in 17 of Italy’s 20 regions, this acquisition allows Cerba HealthCare Italia to bolster its unique position on the diagnosis market and sustainably meet the diagnostic tool needs of patients, physicians and hospitals’ nationwide. Moreover, these exclusive talks illustrate Cerba HealthCare’s growth strategy over the course of the past decade and reflect the Group’s desire to speed up its development and achieve sustainable growth. I am pleased to count on our partners PSP Investments and EQT to support the Company’s strategy and help us achieve our full potential as a European leader in medical diagnosis.”

Financed by a combination of equity and debt, the acquisition will close by the end of the year. It is also subject to administrative notifications and regulatory approvals, particularly from the Italian authorities.