The diagnostics company Mikrogen GmbH from Neuried has acquired Lophius Biosciences GmbH from BioPark Regensburg to enter the future market for T-cell-based tests. Immunodiagnostics play a major role in the fields of transplantation and infectious and autoimmune diseases.
Mikrogen in Neuried near Munich has been producing antigens for clinical diagnostics since 1989. As a global provider of system solutions for medical laboratory diagnostics, Bavaria's oldest biotechnology company offers a wide range of serological and molecular diagnostic systems. 150 employees currently work at the Neuried site. Following the acquisition of Lophius Biosciences GmbH, which was founded out of the University of Regensburg in 2002, more will now come on board.
Mikrogen focuses on the direct and indirect detection of bacterial, viral and parasitic infections as well as autoimmune and cancer diseases. The combination of Mikrogen's expertise in diagnostics and automation with Lophius' pathogen-specific immune stimulation technology, is expected to enable novel diagnostic solutions for infectious diseases and complement the Mikrogen portfolio.
Mikrogen will expand operations by acquiring the entire Lophius team and laboratories at BioPark Regensburg. In vitro diagnostic kits developed by Lophius will be marketed by Mikrogen in the future.
"We are pleased to welcome our new colleagues from Lophius on board. We believe that bringing together the two teams and their complementary expertise will accelerate our innovation in developing new diagnostic solutions," said Dr. Erwin Soutschek, CEO & Managing Director of Mikrogen GmbH.
Mikrogen was among the first to offer tests for the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and antibodies produced during the course of COVID-19 disease in the spring of 2020.