Tethys tethers Lipomics
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executive Summary
Diagnostics start-up Tethys Bioscience acquires Lipomics Technologies Sept. 17 for an undisclosed sum to shore up its technology know-how to create new tests beyond its first diabetes risk assessment tool, launched earlier this year. Tethys' PreDx test, which measures levels of several proteins in a patient's blood to calculate a score identifying their risk for developing diabetes, relies on the firm's expertise with protein biomarkers. Lipomics, on the other hand, specializes in profiling lipids, which can be evaluated in combination with proteins as an effective risk assessment tool for chronic conditions, Tethys says. Lipomics' current business centers on contracting to perform biomarker research for drug company development projects, partnerships that could be helpful to Tethys' plan to establish drug-diagnostic co-marketing agreements (1"The Gray Sheet" July 28, 2008, p. 16)