U.K. based Techne Corporation has acquired 100% ownership of another U.K.-based company, Tocris Holdings, a leading supplier of reagents for non-clinical life science research.  Tocris' products are used in both in-vitro and in-vivo experiments, to understand biological processes and diseases. The business is focused on making biologically active neuro- and bio-chemicals which are used by researchers to elucidate biological processes and pathways. The products are used in life-science research activities and as part of the initial drug discovery process.

Techne, through its subsidiaries, R&D Systems and R&D Systems Europe, is a leading developer, manufacturer and distributor of purified cytokines (proteins), antibodies and assay kits which are sold to biomedical researchers and clinical research laboratories.

Tocris offers over 2,900 chemical, peptide and antibody products. The principal end users are non-clinical laboratory based researchers, working in areas such as neuroscience, cardiovascular disease, endocrinology and cellular processes.