Danaher said that it expects its first quarter adjusted EPS to exceed the high end of its previous guidance. During its Q4 2017 and full-year 2017 earnings announcement in January, the company said that adjusted EPS for Q1 2018 was anticipated to be in the range of $.90 to $.93.
Danaher President and CEO Thomas Joyce said this week that the firm has started the year strongly from a core revenue and margin perspective. He noted the Life Sciences and Diagnostics segment, especially Cepheid, as main drivers for the new guidance.
Danaher also said this week that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire genomics consumables firm Integrated DNA Technologies. Upon completion of the deal, expected to happen in mid-2018, IDT will operate as a standalone business in Danaher's Life Sciences segment.
BGI said this week that it has partnered with the South African Medical Research Council to establish the Cape Town-African Genomics Centre. The partners plan to collaborate in genomics and infectious disease control and prevention, and both their countries have contributed funding and other assets to establish and operate the new center. Separately, BGI and the World Agroforestry Centre in Kenya have started a collaboration on African orphan crops.
Mobidiag this week said it inked an agreement that would enable it to use Ginolis' production lines in anticipation of the upcoming production of Novodiag molecular diagnostic test cartridges.
Mobidiag's manufacturing system is based on Ginolis’ modular Xanthia automation platform. Its compact and modular design allows for "high-quality automation within a small footprint, saving valuable space in the clean-room environment," Mobidiag said. The line is equipped with patented dispensing technology, laser welding, precision assembly, ultrasonic welding, and line confocal imaging used for quality inspection.
Mobiodiag launched Novodiag, which combines qPCR and microarray technologies, in December 2017. The platform allows direct analysis of a patient sample placed in a disposable cartridge and delivers results in about an hour, and enables faster and more accurate treatment while helping clinicians avoid unnecessary use of antibiotics, the firm said.
In mid-2018 the company plans to release a Novodiag cartridge now under development.
Sygnis said this week that its subsidiaries Innova Biosciences, Expedon Holdings, and CBS Scientific have united as Expedeon as of March 1. The rebranding follows Sygnis' latest acquisition of Innova in June 2017. Expedeon serves the genomic, proteomics, and immunology research markets. Sygnis will continue to serve as the parent company and legal entity.
In Brief This Week is a selection of news items that may be of interest to our readers but had not previously appeared on the GenomeWeb site.