ATMI, Inc. has acquired the Belgian biotechnology firm Artelis SA, which offers technologies for cell culture research and manufacturing scale-up. Through this acquisition, ATMI will be able to provide a broader range of disposable solutions for the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry.

"Artelis represents a compelling strategic fit for us and expands ATMI's commitment to the life sciences market," said Mario Philips, senior vice president and general manager of ATMI LifeSciences.

Since 2006, ATMI and Artelis have partnered to develop technologies that address the rising demand for disposables in the life sciences research and manufacturing sectors. ATMI was an early investor in Artelis and, with this transaction, has acquired the remaining equity position in the Brussels, Belgium-based firm.

Artelis's iCELLis bioreactor—a high-cell-density, disposable cell culture platform—enables process intensification by reducing bioreactor volumes while simplifying operations. With its partner ATMI, Artelis applies the benefits of single-use technologies to the production of antibodies, recombinant proteins, viruses, and cells with the iCELLis system.