BD (NYSE:BDX) announced today that it completed the acquisition of flow cytometry solution developer Cytognos.
Salamanca, Spain-based Cytognos specializes in flow cytometry solutions for blood cancer diagnosis, minimal residual disease (MRD) detection, and immune monitoring research for blood diseases.
Franklin Lakes, New Jersey–based BD said in a news release that the acquisition accelerates its strategy to support chronic disease management by expanding its portfolio of blood cancer diagnostics, immune assessment tests and informatics to better understand the immune system, immune response and MRD.
The company said monitoring for MRD offers lab managers and physicians a way to detect low levels of cancer cells after treatment to demonstrate if the disease is still present or if there is a signal of recurrence.
“As the understanding and treatment of cancer evolves and improves, the importance of monitoring post-remission cancer survivors has become paramount to improve patient outcomes,” Worldwide President of BD Biosciences Puneet Sarin said in the release. “Cytognos’ capabilities are complementary to those already developed by BD scientists to screen for the most common blood cancers and will enable BD to expand beyond cancer discovery and diagnosis into the monitoring phase of the patient’s journey. We’re building on our strong track record of identifying and executing on opportunities and then integrating those new products and businesses into our portfolio.”
BD’s acquisition of Cytognos gives the company exclusive access to advanced assays licensed from the EuroFlow Consortium that includes scientists and researchers in hematology and immunology across more than 20 European universities and hospitals. The company already has existing license agreements with EuroFlow for multiple other assays, and the acquisition strengthens its 12-year licensing collaboration.
Cytognos’ IVD products have CE mark but are not currently available for sale in the U.S. The company’s technology uses flow cytometry as the primary means for discovering, diagnosing, and understanding certain types of cancers, including lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma.
The company also provides research assays for multiple myeloma MRD and immune monitoring, expanding BD’s portfolio in that space, BD said.
Financial terms for the acquisition were not disclosed, and BD expects it to be immaterial to its 2022 financial results. Cytognos’ financial results will be reported under BD’s biosciences unit within the life sciences segment. The company’s 80 employees will join BD as a result of the transaction.
“Cytognos has 25 years of experience successfully designing, developing, manufacturing and commercializing innovative flow cytometry products for in vitro diagnostics and life science research use,” said Cytognos CEO Fernando Martin de Lara, who will continue as the business leader for this specific element of BDB’s portfolio. “We are pleased to be joining a global health care leader with robust infrastructure and deep expertise to accelerate growth of a combined BD/Cytognos offering by expanding the reach of Cytognos’ solutions.”