22
December 2010

LGC acquires HFL Sport Science

LGC, the international science-based company and market leader in analytical, forensic and diagnostic services and reference standards, is pleased to announce the acquisition of HFL Sport Science (HFL), the world’s largest independent provider of drug surveillance, doping control and research activities to human and equine sports. The acquisition of HFL will extend and complement LGC’s current analytical service offerings.

HFL has over 45 years’ continuous experience in the science of sports doping control, including experience testing within the framework of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and testing human and animal food supplements for substances prohibited in sport.

Accredited to ISO 17025, HFL’s qualified team of scientists delivers both operational screening services and innovative research into prohibited substance detection and, over the past 40 years, has published more than 300 scientific papers, pioneering innovative bioanalytical techniques. In the area of animal sports, HFL has contributed significantly to animal welfare and the integrity of animal sports, with research that has helped to develop many international regulations and drug testing policies. In the human sporting arena, HFL provides testing for athlete healthcare and nutritional supplements, giving athletes, coaches and governing bodies’ confidence in supplement manufacturers and suppliers and providing analytical services relating to biomarkers of fitness and nutritional health.

The inclusion of these cutting-edge services, combined with LGC’s current unrivalled analytical service offerings, further enhances LGC’s reputation as a world leading independent science provider. LGC's products and services in the pharmaceutical, consumer product and food sectors fully complement the work undertaken by HFL. All are based around the ability to screen and confirm trace components within complex samples such as on drug and pesticide residues, additives, contaminants, micro-nutrients and compounds migrating from packaging and containment devices. The combined business will benefit from a significant shared customer base and will use the knowledge and skills of the LGC and HFL teams to deliver a comprehensive range of services.

Both HFL and LGC are positioned at the high quality and complex end of the analytical market and have strong national and international brands.

David Hall, Chief Executive Officer of HFL Sport Science, commented, “I am extremely excited at the opportunities that our acquisition by LGC holds -the combination of LGC and HFL knowledge, expertise and instrumentation will open a range of market opportunities in the UK, Europe and the USA,accelerating our development in the sports testing market”.

David Richardson, Chief Executive of LGC, said,  “This enhanced analytical service offering by LGC will deliver real benefits to sports drug surveillance and doping control industry. With the up-coming 2012 Olympics, LGC is determined to take the lead in providing quality and outstanding customer service in this increasingly important area of sports science”.

Notes to editors:

About HFL Sport Science

HFL Sport Science (www.hfl.co.uk) provides drug surveillance, doping control and research activities to all sports, and based in Fordham near Cambridge. HFL Sport Science, formerly part of the Quotient Bioresearch Group, has over 40 years’ continuous experience in the science of sports doping control (equine, canine and human). This includes experience testing within the framework of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and testing human and animal food supplements for substances prohibited in sport. Our highly qualified team of scientists deliver both operational screening services and innovative research into prohibited substance detection.

  • HFL Sport Science has evolved from HFL Ltd, and is the world’s largest sports drug surveillance laboratory

  • HFL scientists have published more than 300 scientific papers over the last 40 years and have pioneered innovative bioanalytical techniques

  • HFL’s work in horseracing has helped shape the Rules and Regulations of racing and we have worked with the regulators and organisers of many major international sporting events.