Dharmacon
{{Infobox company
| name = Dharmacon, Inc.
| logo =
| type = Subsidiary
| industry = Biotech
| foundation = 1995 by Stephen Scaringe
| location = Lafayette, CO, USA
| products = CRISPR, RNAi, siRNA, miRNA, shRNA, cDNA, ORFs, Transfection Reagents
| num_employees = 150 (2014)
| slogan =
| homepage = {{url|www.dharmacon.com}}
}}
Dharmacon Inc., now known as Dharmacon, was founded in 1995 by Stephen Scaringe as Dharmacon Research to develop and commercialize a new technology for RNA oligonucleotide synthesis. Originally, the company's focus was to develop 2'-ACE RNA technology as the standard for RNA synthesis and to advance RNA oligo-dependent applications and technologies.
When RNA interference (RNAi) emerged in the late 1990s, Dharmacon was poised to provide RNAi-related products to the multitude of academic and industry researchers. Dharmacon has become an important resource for those investigating the mechanisms of siRNA (small interfering RNA)-induced gene knockdown and applying the specificity and potency of RNAi to human biotherapeutics. Dharmacon's expertise in bioinformatics, RNA biology, and synthesis chemistry has allowed it to develop a complete line of products for the RNAi researcher.
History
In November 2002, Dharmacon Research, Inc. officially changed its name to Dharmacon, Inc., as it had advanced beyond research and development and into whole solutions for RNA oligo-dependent applications and technologies. In March 2004, Dharmacon became a wholly owned subsidiary of Fisher Scientific International, Inc.[http://www.dharmacon.com/company/pressrelease.aspx?id=34= Acquisition of Dharmacon, Inc. by Fisher Scientific]{{dead link|date=February 2016}}, press release, February 11, 2004 In November 2006, Fisher Scientific International, Inc. merged with Thermo Electron Corporation to become Thermo Fisher Scientific.[http://ir.thermofisher.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=89145&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=929319&highlight= Merger of Thermo Electron and Fisher Scientific Completed, Forming Thermo Fisher Scientific] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120722153658/http://ir.thermofisher.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=89145&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=929319&highlight= |date=2012-07-22 }}, press release, November 9, 2006
In April 2013, Thermo Fisher Scientific reached an agreement to buy Life Technologies Corporation.[http://news.thermofisher.com/press-release/corporate/thermo-fisher-scientific-acquire-life-technologies-corporation Thermo Fisher Scientific to Acquire Life Technologies Corporation | Thermo Fisher Scientific eNews] [https://web.archive.org/web/20130813162433/http://news.thermofisher.com/press-release/corporate/thermo-fisher-scientific-acquire-life-technologies-corporation Archived] The acquisition of Life Technologies Corporation received conditional approval from the European Commission in November 2013.[http://news.thermofisher.com/press-release/corporate/thermo-fisher-scientific-receives-clearance-european-commission-its-acquisit Thermo Fisher Scientific Receives Clearance from the European Commission for its Acquisition of Life Technologies | Thermo Fisher Scientific eNews] [https://web.archive.org/web/20140322000959/http://news.thermofisher.com/press-release/corporate/thermo-fisher-scientific-receives-clearance-european-commission-its-acquisit Archived] The conditional requirement was the divestment of Thermo Fisher Scientific's cell culture (sera and media), magnetic beads and Dharmacon gene modulation businesses for antitrust reasons.
In early January 2014, GE Healthcare reached an agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific to acquire the cell culture, magnetic bead and Dharmacon gene modulation businesses for US$1.05 billion.[http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140106005856/en/GE-Expand-Life-Sciences-Acquisition-Strategic-Assets#.Uyyxj6hdV8E GE To Expand in Life Sciences with Acquisition of Strategic Assets from Thermo Fisher Scientific | Business Wire] The acquisition of Dharmacon is viewed as complementary to GE Healthcare's drug discovery research technologies.
In the fall of 2014, GE Healthcare announced it had reached a licensing agreement with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard granting access to CRISPR-Cas9 intellectual property. Under the agreement, GE Healthcare is able to incorporate the patented technologies, and develop and launch additional complementary gene editing reagents.[http://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-highlights/ge-healthcare-life-sciences-sigma-aldrich-license-crispr-cas9-patents/81250664/ CRISPR-Cas9 IP licensed to GE] Then, in October 2014, GE Healthcare Dharmacon launched its first CRISPR-Cas9 genome engineering products under the “Edit-R” brand.[http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/41355/title/Dharmacon--Edit-R--Gene-Engineering-System/ Dharmacon™ Edit-R™ Gene Engineering System | The Scientist Magazine®] In July 2015, GE Healthcare Dharmacon launched synthetic crRNA and lentiviral sgRNA pre-designed with a functionally validated algorithm against entire human, mouse and rat genomes.[http://www.biospace.com/News/ge-healthcare-dharmacon-advances-crispr-cas9-gene/386001 GE Healthcare Dharmacon Advances CRISPR Cas9 Gene Engineering Technology]
In July 2017, UK firm Horizon Discovery reached an agreement to acquire Dharmacon from GE Healthcare for a total consideration of $85 million. The acquisition is expected to complement Horizon's portfolio of gene editing products and engineered cell lines.{{Cite news|url=https://www.genomeweb.com/gene-silencinggene-editing/cowen-initiates-coverage-horizon-discovery-outperform|title=Cowen Initiates Coverage of Horizon Discovery at Outperform|work=GenomeWeb|access-date=2017-08-31|language=en}}