HBM seeks buyer for German diagnostics firm Brahms

LONDON/FRANKFURT May 25 (Reuters) - Swiss buyout firm HBM Partners is looking to sell a minority stake in German disease diagnostics company Brahms to an industry buyer after failing to find a financial investor, Brahms told Reuters on Monday.

HBM Partners, which owns half of Brahms, has tried for more than a year to divest its holding in the company, which makes diagnostic tests used by laboratories and posted 75 million euros ($105 million) in sales last year.

"We have decided to broaden the process. We would be willing to take a strategic investor on board," Brahms Chief Executive Bernd Wegener said.

Brahms management, which also owns half of the company, has no plans to sell any of its shares in Brahms, CEO Wegener said. (Writing by Ludwig Burger, editing by Will Waterman) ($1=.7145 Euro)