FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Diabetes testing supplier Home Diagnostics Inc. plans to merge with Nipro Diabetes Systems Inc. to become Nipro Diagnostics Inc.

Both companies are subsidiaries of Osaka, Japan-based medical device manufacturer Nipro Corp., which unveiled a $215 million deal to acquire Home Diagnostics in early February. The acquisition agreement was finalized in mid-March.

Home Diagnostics’ name change to Nipro Diagnostics is effective immediately. The merger of the Home Diagnostics and Nipro Diabetes Systems is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

According to the companies, the merger creates a provider that offers a comprehensive diabetes monitoring and insulin management product portfolio.

"Our mission at Home Diagnostics has always been to make high-performance blood glucose monitoring technology more affordable to people with diabetes," Joseph Capper, president of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Home Diagnostics, said in a statement. "Merging with Nipro Diabetes Systems helps us extend this mission to the insulin pump category."

Home Diagnostics manufactures and markets the TRUE brand of blood glucose monitoring systems and is a co-brand supplier of glucose monitoring products for leading retail pharmacies, pharmacy wholesalers, medical products distributors and mail-order suppliers. Nipro Diabetes Systems, based in Miramar, Fla., is the manufacturer and marketer of the Amigo Insulin Pump.