NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Molecular diagnostics shop DxNA has signed a letter of intent to acquire PCR-based assay development company PathoGene, the companies said this week.
Terms of the deal were not revealed, but the companies said the acquisition is anticipated to be completed during the next six months, contingent on the completion of due diligence and other conditions.
They also said that DxNA has acquired the exclusive rights for Unit Dose Platform Applications of PathoGene's next-generation multiplexed Staphylococcus MRSA+ assay on DxNA's Real Time PCR GeneStat platform. The deal includes upfront and milestone payments and ongoing royalties. Further details were not disclosed.
PathoGene's Staphylococcus assay provides rapid identification and drug-resistance information for Staphylococcus infections, and in addition to MRSA, it detects multidrug resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus strains, PathoGene CEO Todd Snowden said.
"This is a significant step forward compared to current diagnostic methods and allows the assay to rapidly identify and differentiate three of the most common pathogens of hospital-acquired infections — surgical site infections, medical device infections, and skin and soft tissue infections — in a single multiplexed assay.
DxNA is based in St. George, Utah, and develops molecular diagnostic assays for analysis on its GeneStat analyzer, a cartridge-based system for performing DNA- and/or RNA-based multiplexed real-time PCR assays to detect infectious disease agents in humans and animals, and to detect biological contaminants in the environment.
PathoGene is a spinout of the Translational Genomics Institute and Northern Arizona University and is based in Flagstaff, Ariz. It develops assays for difficult to treat and drug-resistant infectious diseases.
In May the two firms said that DxNA acquired the exclusive rights to run PathoGene's Staphylococcus MRSA+ assay on the GeneStat system, as PCR Insider reported at the time.