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Lab21 Buys Fungal Molecular Diagnostics Firm Myconostica

By a GenomeWeb staff reporter

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Lab21 today announced it has acquired fungal molecular diagnostic firm Myconostica for an undisclosed amount.

The deal will expand Lab21's portfolio of diagnostics and will provide it with its first nucleic acid-based assays. It also provides Lab21 with manufacturing capabilities to develop and produce a range of new biomarker assays, the Cambridge, UK-based firm said.

Based in Manchester, UK, Myconostica has three CE-marked tests available in Europe, Canada, and South Africa, including tests for extracting fungal DNA from human samples and tests for detecting Aspergillus and Pneumocystis jirovecii.

Lab21 will develop global sales of Myconostica's products and launch the Myconostica fungal testing service from its reference laboratory in Greenville, SC, as well as its lab in Cambridge.

The companies said that the global market for fungal testing is about 10 million patients annually.

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