Sigma Aldrich Bows out of Diagnostics

Executive Summary

Sigma Aldrich's decision to abruptly exit the clinical diagnostics business is a cautionary tale for both large companies seeking to enter diagnostics and for small companies looking for deep-pocketed saviors. In April, after selling a small immunoassay business to Ivax Diagnostics, Sigma laid off nearly all of its diagnostics division's 600 employees, effectively all but shutting down the business. Under pressure from Wall Street, it decided to cut its losses rather than sell an on-going concern.