KCI, LifeCell and Systagenix to merge into single company

KCI and its sister company LifeCell are to be merged into a single business, alongside the newly acquired Systagenix.

The board of directors of KCI and LifeCell's parent company have elected to create a single globally diversified wound care, biologics and regenerative medicine business that generates more than $2 billion (1.24 billion pounds).

This merger will strengthen customer relationships and offer the company more cross-selling opportunities across the entire care continuum, while also providing greater commercial scale and a world-class wound care and biologics portfolio.

KCI and LifeCell will begin operating as one company immediately, while Systagenix will be incorporated into the new structure once the $485 million takeover of the firm – announced in July 2013 – is completed in the fourth quarter of the year.

Joe Woody, president and chief executive officer of the combined company, said: "Operating as one company will foster collaboration and increased innovation across platforms, leading to exciting new products that will address unmet clinical needs."