Analytical instrument manufacturer Malvern Instruments announced Thursday it would acquire MicroCal, a developer of microcalorimeters used in drug discovery and development.

The acquisition should be completed in the third quarter of this year, pending regulatory approvals, Malvern said. Financial details were not disclosed.

MicroCal has a 30-year history of developing and supplying microcalorimeters — systems used extensively to study proteins and other biomolecules in drug discovery and development. Malvern said the acquisition will further boost its expanding portfolio of analytical solutions for customers in core pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical markets.

“Microcalorimetry is now an essential tool that is used at almost every stage of the drug discovery, development and formulation process,” Paul Walker, managing director of Malvern said. "MicroCal products are an excellent fit with Malvern’s existing portfolio of measurement solutions for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. Their ability to deliver information about drug binding and protein stability is entirely complementary to Malvern’s current products and to those in development."

MicroCal joins NanoSight as big purchases that Malvern has made in the last year. NanoSight, acquired on Sept. 30, 2013, developed Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis, which can detect and visualize nanoparticles as small as 10 nm within liquids. — Kellen Owings

Subscribe to Drug Industry Daily for complete coverage of the pharmaceutical industry. Click here for more information.