A BRITISH medical firm set up 23 years ago to reduce HIV infection rates in operating theatres is to sell out to a US rival in a £1.2 billion deal.

Directors of Swindon-based Synergy Health will together receive a £12.7 million chunk of the cash and shares being paid by Ohio's Steris Corporation, while the newly merged group will relocate for tax purposes to the UK.

Synergy's chief executive Richard Steeves founded the company in 1991 to produce surgical packs to reduce HIV infections and it is now a FTSE-250 company with global operations.