Discovery Life Sciences Acquires QualTek Molecular Labs to Enhance Cell-Based Laboratory Services and IHC Capabilities

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned from foreign media reports that on November 5, 2019, Discovery Life Sciences announced the acquisition of QualTek Molecular Laboratories. Furthermore, the financial terms of this acquisition have not been disclosed.

Following the completion of this acquisition, Discovery’s existing histopathology services will be significantly enhanced, and a unique and powerful suite of solutions will be established, including one of the world’s largest commercial biobanks and biospecimen procurement networks, the HudsonAlpha Discovery sequencing and bioinformatics laboratory, as well as innovative flow cytometry and cell-based laboratory services.

QualTek Molecular Laboratories is a renowned provider of immunohistochemistry services, operating CAP/CLIA-certified laboratories with good laboratory practices in California and Pennsylvania.

Discovery Life Sciences is a global market leader in bioanalytical services, procurement, distribution, and genomics, cellular, and histological science services for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and diagnostics industries. HudsonAlpha Discovery, the sequencing and bioinformatics division of Discovery, is a globally recognized service laboratory that leverages cutting-edge genomic research technologies to comprehensively support biopharmaceutical, diagnostic research, and clinical development.

In fact, immunohistochemistry (IHC) is critical for the identification and validation of tissue biomarkers, which play a pivotal role in decision-making processes during drug development, diagnostic research, and clinical development. Drug and diagnostic development programs in oncology rely on the use of specific and sensitive biomarkers that help scientists diagnose and treat specific patient populations, understand the underlying biological processes driving disease progression, and assess the potential benefits of targeted therapies under development.

By accessing millions of biologically specific genes and providing comprehensive multi-annotation services, Discovery’s biomarker validation approach accelerates the early stages of preclinical research. The acquisition of the QualTek team has enhanced Discovery’s capabilities in the development and validation of IHC technology platform analyses. The QualTek team will continue to establish documentation to support clinical trial design and provide centralized IHC laboratory services for subsequent clinical trials. In addition, QualTek’s expert team has developed a PD-L1 companion diagnostic assay, laying the foundation for the development of a companion diagnostic for pembrolizumab.

Dr. Frank Lynch, Chief Operating Officer of QualTek, stated, “We founded QualTek 22 years ago and have successfully realized our vision of establishing IHC as a platform for personalized medicine to help cancer patients improve their response to treatment. A prime example is that we can now leverage our FFPE block library to enable our biopharmaceutical partners to strategically design clinical trials based on an understanding of how their target proteins respond in specific patient populations.”

Dr. Steve Bernstein, CEO of QualTek, added, “This expertise can save millions of dollars and years of time, facilitating the successful development of projects that transform patients’ lives. QualTek is proud and excited to join Discovery Life Sciences, leveraging our scale and synergies to accelerate the research and development of our clients’ drugs and companion diagnostics.”

Glenn Bilawsky, CEO of Discovery, also stated, “All of Discovery’s services deliver cutting-edge knowledge, technology, quality, and speed. Our clients rely on us to accelerate their decision-making as they progress along the path from research to clinical development. Our expertise and scale in IHC, combined with our leading bioanalytical technologies, flow cytometry, and genomics services, enable us to provide meaningful answers that give our clients confidence in our ability to develop innovative drugs and diagnostics faster and at lower cost.”

(Compiled by Xiong Hui)