PerkinElmer Acquires Macri Technologies

PerkinElmer (Boston, MA, USA) has acquired J.N. Macri Technologies LLC (Huntington Station, NY, USA) which holds and licenses global patents related to free beta human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Free Beta hCG is a peptide hormone produced in the early stage of pregnancy that is a biomarker for first-trimester prenatal risk assessment.

In addition, PerkinElmer acquired NTD Laboratories, Inc., a reference laboratory specializing in prenatal risk assessment (also in Huntington Station). NTD offers laboratory-developed-and-validated testing under the brand name UltraScreen, of which free Beta hCG is a vital component. The UltraScreen biomarker data, combined with an ultrasound measurement of fluid accumulation behind the neck of the fetus (collectively referred to as the "combined test”) and maternal demographic data, provide clinicians with a patient-specific risk probability for fetal abnormalities. The purchase price for both transactions was approximately U.S.$56.65 million.

The efficacy of the NTD-provided service has been validated by two U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH) trials, Eatabun and Faster. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine in November 2005, NIH's Faster study found the combined test, which is administered in the first trimester of gestation, safer and more accurate than second-trimester prenatal risk assessment.

"This acquisition provides an opportunity to strengthen our position with clinicians and our existing laboratory partners as a result of NTD's strong and established relationships with maternal health care providers,” said Robert F. Friel, president, PerkinElmer Life and Analytical Sciences. We expect this agreement will accelerate PerkinElmer's own maternal health research and development initiatives, by giving us the ability to better understand first-hand the needs of the clinical community. Our future plans include the introduction of the free Beta hCG biomarker, which is used throughout Europe, on PerkinElmer's proprietary platforms, further extending our maternal health solutions.”

The agreement follows recent announcements made by the company about its screening and diagnostics strategies. These included a global licensing agreement to develop assay kits for the Adam12 biochemical marker, which has broad potential in maternal health screening for fetal chromosomal abnormalities; and the securing of global rights for PP13 (placental protein 13), a new prospective biomarker for identifying patients at risk for pre-eclampsia in the first trimester.



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