Roche Acquires Genomics Technology from AbVitro

Roche said Thursday it has acquired exclusive rights to a primer extension-based target enrichment technology developed by AbVitro, for an undisclosed amount. The technology will be used to support next-generation gene sequencing directly from blood or biological samples.

Both AbVitro and Roche scientists will work on developing and applying the technology, which will be incorporated into Roche’s Sequencing Unit R&D pipeline, the Swiss company said.

Boston-based AbVitro’s technology uses natural immune responses to address diseases with unmet medical needs by identifying paired B cell antibodies and T cell receptors across millions of single cells at unprecedented resolution, according to Roche. This is then used to identify novel therapeutic targets and antibodies for cancer and autoimmune diseases, the company said.

Dan Zabrowski, head of Roche’s Tissue Diagnostics and Sequencing Unit, said the technology will allow Roche to optimize its sequencing portfolio and streamline sequencing methods for easy-to-use clinical applications. — Kellen Owings

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