Acquisition will strengthen Agilent’s presence in the genomics market
Agilent Technologies is buying the Belgium-based genetic testing firm Multiplicom for $68 million in cash. The deal is expected to close by mid-January 2017, subject to customary conditions.
Founded in 2011 as a spin-off from the University of Antwerp (Belgium) and VIB (Flanders Institute of Biotechnology), Multiplicom develops, manufactures, and commercializes molecular diagnostic kits for personalized medicine. The firm achieved CE in vitro diagnostic (IVD) certification for its flagship BRCA MASTR™ Dx assay for breast and ovarian cancer predisposition in 2012. Multiplicom now offers a range of CE-IVD-certified kits, research kits, and supporting technologies for applications in molecular tumor pathology testing, cancer genetics, genetic disorder assays, and prenatal testing.
“The acquisition of Multiplicom significantly strengthens our presence in the genomics market,” said Herman Verrelst, vp and general manager of Agilent’s Genomics Division. “Multiplicom’s products and technology help expand our target-enrichment portfolio and enhance our next-generation sequencing workflow capabilities—providing immediate scale in adjacent markets.”
