NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Thermo Fisher Scientific said on Friday that it has acquired forensic DNA testing firm IntegenX for an undisclosed amount.
IntegenX, headquartered in Pleasanton, California, has been developing rapid DNA testing technology for human identification for use in forensics and law enforcement. In 2015, the company launched the RapidHit ID System, which allows users to profile individuals from buccal swabs in less than two hours using short tandem repeat (STR) chemistries sold by Thermo Fisher. In addition, it sells the RapidHIT System, its first-generation STR-based human identification system that is also compatible with Thermo Fisher's STR kits.
IntegenX's technology is currently used in government laboratories of 17 countries to generate forensic DNA profiles.
According to Thermo Fisher, IntegenX complements and enhances its existing human identification product portfolio, including reagents, qPCR systems, and capillary electrophoresis systems.
"The development of rapid DNA technology provides law enforcement with the ability to generate results while a suspect is still in custody," said Rosy Lee, vice president of human identification at Thermo Fisher, in a statement. The increased demand for such testing from law enforcement agencies, she said, "aligns with our strategy to expand our leadership position in the human identification market."
"Combining our market-leading technologies with Thermo Fisher's scale and depth of capabilities will benefit both our customers and our employees," said Robert Schueren, president and CEO of IntegenX, in a statement.