Ten-minute cardiac diagnostics: bioMérieux’s strategic acquisition targets emergency care transformation
bioMérieux has announced the acquisition of SpinChip Diagnostics ASA, a privately held Norwegian company specialising in rapid immunoassay diagnostics. The €138 million deal will see bioMérieux acquire 100% ownership of the company, with a cash outlay of approximately €111 million, accounting for the 20% minority stake bioMérieux has held since March 2024.
The acquisition aligns with bioMérieux’s
GO•28 strategic plan, complementing its existing point-of-care (POC) portfolio that includes the BIOFIRE SPOTFIRE molecular biology system. The integration of SpinChip’s technology will enhance bioMérieux’s presence in the growing POC market segment.
Clinical significance for emergency cardiac care
SpinChip’s platform addresses a critical clinical need in acute care settings, particularly for myocardial infarction (MI) diagnosis. Despite advancements in high-sensitivity cardiac troponin assays, current laboratory testing methods often result in delayed diagnosis due to sample transportation and processing times. The SpinChip analyser delivers results from whole blood samples within 10 minutes whilst maintaining the high sensitivity of laboratory-based systems. This combination of speed and precision could significantly impact patient outcomes in time-critical emergency scenarios.
Dr Charles K. Cooper, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at bioMérieux, emphasised the importance of this dual capability: “The SpinChip solution is a game changer, combining the best of both worlds: the ease of use and fast time-to-result of POC systems with the precision and performance of high-sensitivity lab assays.”
Technical development and regulatory timeline
SpinChip’s initial assay menu focuses on cardiac markers crucial for emergency assessment, including high-sensitive troponin I (hs-TnI), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and D-Dimer. The company plans to expand testing capabilities to other acute care clinical areas. The performance of the hs-TnI assay has already been validated in a retrospective clinical study using the APACE cohort and is currently undergoing assessment in a multicentre European clinical trial. SpinChip expects to apply for CE marking under the In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR) before the end of 2025, with the first
product launch anticipated in 2026.
Financial and strategic outlook
While the acquisition is expected to contribute to bioMérieux’s growth beyond 2028, the company has stated that operating expenses related to SpinChip’s integration and development will be managed within bioMérieux’s annual R&D investments (approximately 12% of annual sales) through the redeployment of internal resources. Pierre Boulud, Chief Executive Officer of bioMérieux, highlighted the strategic significance: “With SpinChip’s disruptive technology, we will complement our offer and strengthen our presence in the point-of-care segment. This acquisition will also allow to leverage the unique R&D and manufacturing bioMérieux capabilities in the field of immunoassays that we have built with VIDAS.”
