Dear Colleagues,
We just recently announced an offer to acquire Illumina, Inc., a leading developer of technology used to study genetic variation and function. Illumina’s portfolio includes innovative and market-leading tools for DNA and RNA analysis that enable rapid advances in basic and disease research and diagnostics. This acquisition will strengthen Roche’s position in Sequencing and Microarrays and Roche’s current portfolio in the areas of genetics and genomics research and diagnostics.
The ongoing evolution of technology is transforming sequencing into an increasingly powerful, usable and affordable tool that may enable it to deliver applications outside of the research area. We are convinced that Roche and Illumina’s combined capabilities and global reach will help accelerate the transition of sequencing into clinical and routine diagnostics providing additional meaningful information for the diagnosis and treatment of patients. Together, Roche and Illumina’s technologies will enable Roche to provide researchers in many different fields a total solution for their needs. Roche’s large customer network, extensive diagnostics experience and global presence will help accelerate the transition of DNA sequencing into clinical and routine diagnostics.
We intend to continue the Illumina legacy within our Diagnostics Division maintaining the Illumina brand. We also intend to combine our existing Applied Science business with Illumina and move the business area’s headquarters to San Diego, California. We plan to maintain operations in Penzberg, Germany, the current headquarters of our Applied Science business.
It is our preferred approach to reach an agreement with Illumina’s Board of Directors to complete this transaction. We made multiple efforts to engage in constructive dialogue with Illumina in order to reach a negotiated transaction, but have not been successful. Following the announcement of our offer today, we will promptly begin a tender offer for all outstanding shares of Illumina. We still remain willing to discuss a negotiated transaction with Illumina.
Attached is the press release we issued this morning, which provides additional details on our offer. We will also send out an invitation for a global employee webcast to all of our colleagues in Diagnostics shortly. We will keep you apprised of any significant further developments in this process.
Best regards,
Severin Schwan, CEO of Roche Group
Daniel O’Day, COO, Diagnostics
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