Put it On the Board, 5/13

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Thermo Fisher to acquire Life Tech

Thermo Fisher Scientific and Life Technologies have signed a definitive agreement under which Thermo Fisher will acquire Life Tech for about $13.6 billion plus the assumption of net debt at close ($2.2 billion as of year end 2012). The transaction is expected to close early next year.

Approved by both companies’ boards of directors, the transaction is expected to create an industry leader to serve research, specialty diagnostics, and applied markets; strengthen technology and innovation through complementary offerings; and provide attractive financial returns to shareholders.

First next-generation sequencing assay for GE Healthcare

GE Healthcare on April 8 announced that Clarient Diagnostic Services, a GE Healthcare company, will offer a next-generation sequencing assay that will target the 26 most common oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, selected for their implication in solid tumor indications such as lung, breast, and colon cancers and melanoma. The assay, which is for use in clinical trials, will be performed at Clarient.

The test is the first next-gen sequencing assay GE Healthcare launched since it acquired Seq-Wright, a research lab offering nucleic acid sequencing and other genomic services. The acquisition provided a platform for Clarient to expand its clinical diagnostic offerings to include next-gen sequencing.

FDA clears BD Diagnostics’ C. diff assay

BD Diagnostics on April 8 received FDA clearance to market in the United States its BD Max Cdiff assay. Performed on the BD Max system, the test is designed to detect the toxin B gene (tcdB).

“The BD Max Cdiff assay is a simple, easy-to-use, fully automated method for detection of these dangerous bacteria,” Tom Polen, president, BD Diagnostics-Diagnostic Systems, said in a statement.

The assay acquired the CE Mark in March 2012 and has demonstrated excellent performance in Europe, BD Diagnostics said in a release.

Foundation Medicine, Sloan-Kettering to co-develop test for hematologic cancers

Foundation Medicine and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center will co-develop a new Foundation Medicine molecular diagnostic product designed to match patients who have hematologic cancers with the most rational targeted therapies or clinical trials for their cancer. Leaders in hematology from Memorial Sloan-Kettering will provide clinical and genomic expertise.

The new test is expected to be available commercially by the end of this year.