NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Advanced Biological Laboratories has renewed a non-exclusive collaboration with Roche Diagnostics for the promotion of ABL's products, in particular, its DeepChek next-generation sequencing software for Roche's NGS instruments. The collaboration has been extended from HIV to viral hepatitis B and C and covers Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.
Fosun Diagnostics and Saladax Biomedical announced that the Chinese Food and Drug Administration cleared Saladax's MyCare assays for marketing in that country. The CFDA cleared the My5-FU, MyPaclitaxel, and MyDocetaxel assays, which allow physicians to measure the levels of chemotherapy drugs in blood and adjust them as necessary so that patients can be maintained at an optimal therapeutic range. Fosun — Saladax's manufacturing, clinical, and market development partner in China for the MyCare line of assays — is a division of Fosun Pharmaceuticals, which made a $22.5 million investment in Saladax in 2013 and inked an exclusive distribution agreement with Saladax covering China.
PerkinElmer's board declared a regular quarterly dividend of $.07 per share of its common stock, payable on Nov. 7 to shareholders of record at the close of business on Oct. 17.
Becton Dickinson's board declared a quarterly dividend of $.545 per share of its common stock, payable on Sept. 30 to shareholders of record on Sept. 9.
Meridian Bioscience's board declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $.20 per share, payable on Aug. 14 to shareholders of record on Aug. 4.
DataDirect Networks has joined the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health, an alliance focused on the sharing of genomic and clinical data. DDN joins more than 200 institutions, healthcare providers, information technology firms, life science companies, and disease and patient advocacy organizations in more than 40 countries as a member of the Genomic Data and Security working groups. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company said that it will contribute its expertise in data digest, distribution, and analysis of big data to the group's efforts.
The Breast International Group has chosen the Integrated BioBank of Luxembourg as the central European biobank for the storage of samples from a research program called Aurora, which seeks to discover genetic mutations in metastatic breast cancer. BIG aims to recruit 1,300 patients from 15 countries in Europe for the study and plans to expand outside the continent, contingent on the availability of funding. IBBL last year inked a contract with BIG to store more than 50,000 breast cancer samples from another of BIG's clinical trials.
Cancer Genetics signed a definitive agreement to acquire Gentris, a provider of clinical pharmacogenomics solutions, next-generation sequencing, and biomarker testing. The deal, valued at up to $6.25 million, was originally announced last month when Cancer Genetics said it had signed a non-binding letter of intent.
Oxford Financing closed on an $8 million senior secured term loan agreement with Natrix Separations. Proceeds will be used for working capital. Natrix supplies single-use and multicycle disposable chromatography products to the life science, food, beverage, and water markets.
In Brief This Week is a Friday column containing news items that our readers may have missed during the week.