Thermo Fisher buys mass spec software partner HighChem

Dive Brief:

Thermo Fisher Scientific said Thursday it acquired mass spectrometry software provider HighChem for an undisclosed sum.
HighChem, which has worked with Thermo Fisher for 20 years, sells software designed to help researchers interpret, manage and process mass spectral and chromatographic data.
Thermo Fisher has previously integrated its software with HighChem’s mzCloud, a database of mass spectra.

Dive Insight:

HighChem was founded in 1998 and has worked with Thermo Fisher throughout its history. The Slovakian software company has played a role in developing programs such as Thermo Scientific Compound Discoverer and Thermo Scientific Mass Frontier 8.0.

Thermo Fisher said buying HighChem and integrating it into its chromatography and mass spectrometry will enable it to "deliver greater value" to its customers.

The takeover gives Thermo Fisher control of software with which it it is already well acquainted. One of HighChem’s main products is Mass Frontier. Thermo Fisher introduced version 8.0 of the software, carrying its brand, last year.

Mass Frontier features algorithms and libraries intended to help researchers interpret mass spectral and chromatographic data and characterize the structures of unknown small molecules and their fragments. The software supports the automated generation of possible fragments, the drawing of chemical structures and the detection of chromatographic components.

HighChem also provides mzCloud, a database intended to help analysts identify compounds. The cloud-based database enables users to search mass spectra using a correlation algorithm. Compound Discoverer, a piece of Thermo Fisher software, automatically searches mzCloud to cut the manual effort involved in identifying unknown compounds.

These capabilities have attracted the interest of a long list of leading biopharma companies. HighChem lists Pfizer, Roche and Sanofi among its customers.

Thermo Fisher will now integrate HighChem into its analytical instruments segment. The segment led growth at Thermo Fisher in the first quarter, posting a 5% increase in reported revenue and 15% jump in adjusted operating income. Thermo Fisher listed mass spectrometry and chromatography among the areas that had an "excellent" quarter.