Sweden's medical technology company Gambro sells U.S. medical device company CaridianBCT to Japanese medical equipment firm Terumo Corp for $2.6 billion, the Japanese company said Monday.

The acquisition is a move by the Japanese firm to make it the world's biggest equipment-maker for blood banks. Terumo currently ranks No.5 in the global blood banking business.

Gambro is a jointly controlled by Swedish private equity company EQT IV and holding firm Investor AB, controlled by the influential Wallenberg family.

During EQT IV's and Investor's ownership, annual sales growth of CaridianBCT has been more than 10 percent and EBITDA has almost doubled, a statement by Investor said.