Finnish diagnostics pioneers Abacus Diagnostica, Kaivogen and Labrox join to form Uniogen
Three Finnish life science experts – Abacus Diagnostica, a frontrunner in molecular testing and rapid PCR test systems, Kaivogen, a specialist in immunoassays and antibody tests, and Labrox, an innovator of high technology laboratory instruments and diagnostic readers – have joined forces to form a global diagnostics pioneer. The name of the new company is Uniogen Oy. The company is targeting the global market with a total solution under development for point-of-care testing for infectious diseases and cancers, among others.
Although Uniogen is new as a company, the underlying companies, Abacus Diagnostica, Kaivogen and Labrox, have years of experience in international clinical diagnostics and life science markets. In 2021, the combined annual net sales of the three companies forming Uniogen was approximately €15 million. Uniogen’s products are sold in about 100 countries around the world. The company is headquartered in Turku, Finland and employs close to 100 professionals.
Ilari Antila, MSc, has been appointed CEO of Uniogen Oy. Antila has extensive international management experience from the diagnostics, medical devices and healthcare industries. He joins Uniogen from Injeq Oy, where he worked as CEO.
Uniogen focusses on diagnostic solutions and point-of-care testing offering diagnostic tests, test systems and laboratory instruments.
The company is developing a unique total solution for point-of-care testing of infectious diseases and cancers, among others. In this new solution, the company says, antibody and PCR tests as well as diagnostics of several diseases will be able to be performed with one versatile and easy-to-use device, making it possible to identify more than ten bacteria or viruses from a single sample. “It’s great to have the opportunity to lead a company that brings together a long line of highly experienced diagnostics professionals from three companies as well as the world’s leading instrumentation and biochemical knowhow. Together, we will develop novel products and expand our customer base. The new point-of-care testing solution under development will open great growth opportunities for us in the global diagnostics markets. There is currently no other point-of-care testing system on the market that combines both antibody and PCR testing. The size of our target market is several billion euros globally. Our growth is supported by, among other things, the growing need for decentralized diagnostics as mobility of people and the spread of new epidemics increase, and populations are ageing. As healthcare costs keep rising, improving healthcare outcomes, cost efficiencies and accessibility through decentralized testing has become even more critical. Rapid diagnostics is expected to have a major positive impact on health economics,” said Antila.
