BD Buys Cytognos to Expand into Post-Treatment Cancer Monitoring

BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) has acquired Cytognos, a Salamanca, Spain-based firm specializing in flow cytometry for blood cancer diagnosis, minimal residual disease (MDR) detection, and blood disease immune monitoring research. Cytognos was a division of Spanish diagnostics firm Vitro. The transaction’s terms were not disclosed.
 
The deal expands BD’s portfolio of blood cancer diagnostics, immune assessment tests, and informatics to help better understand the immune system, immune response, and MRD. Monitoring for MRD helps spot low cancer cell levels after treatment to alert if the disease is still present or there is a sign of recurrence.
 
“As the understanding and treatment of cancer evolves and improves, the importance of monitoring post remission cancer survivors has become paramount to improve patient outcomes,” Puneet Sarin, worldwide president of BD Biosciences told the press. “Cytognos’ capabilities are complementary to those already developed by BD scientists to screen for the most common blood cancers and will enable BD to expand beyond cancer discovery and diagnosis into the monitoring phase of the patient’s journey. We’re building on our strong track record of identifying and executing on opportunities and then integrating those new products and businesses into our portfolio.” 
 
Cytognos grants BD access to advanced assays licensed from EuroFlow Consortium, a network of scientists and researchers from over 20 European universities and hospitals in the fields of hematology and immunology. BD already has a 12-year licensing deal with EuroFlow for other assays. Grabbing Cytognos further strengthens the collaboration.
 
“Cytognos has 25 years of experience successfully designing, developing, manufacturing and commercializing innovative flow cytometry products for in vitro diagnostics and life science research use,” said Fernando Martin de Lara, Cytognos CEO, who will continue to load this specific element of BD’s portfolio. “We are pleased to be joining a global health care leader with robust infrastructure and deep expertise to accelerate growth of a combined BD/Cytognos offering by expanding the reach of Cytognos’ solutions.”
 
Cytognos’ key products strengthen BD’s diagnostic and research solutions for lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma. The products are CE marked and not yet available for sale in the U.S. Cytognos’ informatics will also further BD’s strength in immunology and expand its flow informatics capabilities.