NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Illumina said after the close of the market Thursday that it has completed its $450 million acquisition of Verinata Health.
The deal, which was inked in early January, provides Illumina with Verinata's Verifi non-invasive prenatal test for detecting trisomy 21, 18, and 13. The test analyzes cell-free fetal DNA using next-generation sequencing.
Illumina agreed to acquire Verinata for $350 million with additional potential milestone payments of up to $100 million through 2015.
"Bringing our two companies together provides a very strong collection of technologies and partners in the reproductive health market, with solutions that will lead to improved health outcomes," Illumina President and CEO Jay Flatley said in a statement.
As of the close of the deal, Verinata became a wholly owned subsidiary of Illumina. The Verifi test will continue to be offered through Verinata's CLIA- and CAP-accredited lab, and Illumina noted that the firm will continue to collect clinical data to support future regulatory submissions.
Verinata's marketing efforts also gained a boost in January through its deal with PerkinElmer, making that firm its exclusive US marketing partner for the Verifi test. PerkinElmer already has an extensive sales and marketing infrastructure aimed at the prenatal testing market.