Integra Biosciences Acquires Biotechnology Specialist Miroculus to Advance Genomics Discoveries

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 20 Mar 2023

Image: The Miro Canvas system is a revolutionary digital microfluidics platform that automates NGS library prep. (Photo courtesy of Miroculus)

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a rapid and inexpensive approach for examining the genome - the entire set of an organism's DNA. It has gained immense popularity since its inception almost two decades ago due to its throughput, speed, cost-effectiveness, and capacity to scale it up for larger projects. Consequently, NGS has transformed the spheres of genomic diagnostics, environmental science, reproductive health, forensics, and agriculture in recent times.

INTEGRA Biosciences (Hudson, NH, USA) has acquired Miroculus (San Francisco, CA, USA), a biotech company focused on developing automation solutions that streamline NGS protocols. The acquisition will allow INTEGRA to extend its reach in the growing NGS market, providing novel process automation solutions to assist academic, research and diagnostics laboratories in saving time and speeding up discovery in this dynamic field.

Miroculus was set up with the objective of conceiving inventive and exclusive tools to enable high-quality scientific research worldwide. The company has extensive expertise in the fields of biochemistry, bioanalytics, molecular biology, and materials science. Miroculus began by developing a prototype system for miRNA detection, but soon recognized the technology’s potential for other applications, particularly for automating complex genomics protocols and making them easier and more accessible. Currently, Miroculus focuses on creating intuitive and flexible platforms based on its patented technology, simplifying complex NGS protocols and enabling researchers to translate their discoveries into practical solutions that are accessible to everyone.

The acquisition will boost company growth and unlock new opportunities for INTEGRA and Miroculus. INTEGRA expects the initiation of various genomics-based initiatives soon and is confident that the acquisition will contribute significantly to advancing scientific discovery in the vital field of genomics.

“The global NGS market has been growing exponentially in recent years, and seems set to continue doing so,” said Urs Hartmann, CEO of INTEGRA. “We have acquired this promising start-up because we recognize the huge potential of its revolutionary digital microfluidics technology for automating and miniaturizing genomic protocols. Miroculus' proprietary platform delivers assay flexibility and automation capacity, which enables seamless workflow integration. This will help to remove process bottlenecks and advance science – one of INTEGRA’s primary goals.”

“Bringing Miroculus under our company umbrella will allow us to benefit from the company’s expertise and wealth of knowledge surrounding NGS in particular,” added Urs. “This in-depth genetic analysis know-how will help us to rapidly expand our range of genomics solutions, creating novel platforms for applications such as automating long-read sequencing and target enrichment protocols. Miroculus’ vision and technology complement our own innovative solutions, making it the perfect fit for our company as we dive deeper into the genomics sector and establish a competitive edge for ourselves in this flourishing segment. We're very much looking forward to welcoming all of the Miroculus team into the INTEGRA family, and we are confident that our combined talents will allow us to support the growing needs in the genetics arena by developing revolutionary and unique tools.”

“We began Miroculus with the mission to advance science and improve lives faster, and the last year has been very eventful for us as we’ve worked to achieve this goal,” said Alejandro Tocigl, Co-Founder and CEO of Miroculus. “Most notably, we launched the Miro Canvas system, a revolutionary digital microfluidics platform that fully automates NGS sample preparation protocols. We are extremely excited that the Miroculus team will now be a part of the INTEGRA group, and this acquisition will continue our shared culture of innovation for the scientific community.”

Related Links:
INTEGRA Biosciences
Miroculus