April 12, 2022—BioMérieux has entered into an agreement to acquire Specific Diagnostics, a privately held, U.S.-based company that developed the Specific Reveal Rapid AST system. BioMérieux has held a minority stake in Specific Diagnostics since 2019, and the two companies signed a co-distribution agreement in 2021 for the European market.
The Specific Reveal Rapid AST system provides results for Gram-negative bacteria directly from positive blood cultures in about five hours. The system offers an easy-to-use instrument with a targeted menu, small footprint, and modular design and integrates with BioMérieux’s sepsis solution, including BACT/Alert Virtuo, Vitek MS Prime, BioFire BCID2, Vidas PCT, and Vitek 2.
“By combining the advanced technology of the Specific Reveal Rapid AST solution for bloodstream infections with our existing solutions, we are increasing the ability of laboratories to deliver results in record time, especially in cases of very critical infections such as sepsis, which require urgent and appropriate treatment,” Mark Miller, executive vice president and chief medical officer of BioMérieux, said in a press statement.
The deal is expected to close by the end of the second quarter of this year.