Menarini-Silicon Biosystems Acquires Janssen's CELLSEARCH Circulating Tumor Cell System to Advance Precision Oncology Diagnostics

Menarini-Silicon Biosystems announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, to acquire all assets and businesses related to the CellSearch circulating tumor cell (CTC) system. The specific financial terms were not disclosed.

CellSearch is used to help manage patients with metastatic breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer. It is the world’s first and only commercially available product for detecting circulating tumor cells (CTCs) that has been approved by the U.S. FDA (approved in 2004) and the China FDA (cFDA; approved in 2012) for the management of malignant diseases.

Menarini-Silicon Biosystems stated that CellSearch will complement its advanced diagnostics portfolio, which includes the DEPArray system. The DEPArray system, a technology for the detection and isolation of rare cells, has been utilized in multiple therapeutic areas, including oncology. With these two products, the company announced it would be able to offer CTC detection on an FDA-approved platform, providing oncologists and researchers with unparalleled molecular characterization capabilities. The combination of the DEPArray and CellSearch systems offers a unique opportunity to advance next-generation, personalized medical strategies.

Under the agreement, Menarini-Silicon, based in Italy, will establish an office in San Diego, USA, retain employees from Janssen’s CTC division, and assume responsibility for Janssen’s CLIA laboratory certification in Pennsylvania. The two companies will work closely together to transition business operations within the global CellSearch applications market.