August 8, 2016 | Zoetis, a veterinary medicine company, has acquired Denmark-based Scandinavian Micro Biodevices in an $80 million deal to develop new point-of-care diagnostic devices for use with pets and livestock. SMB already has animal diagnostics on the market in the U.S. and internationally, through its VSpro and QuickVet systems, both cartridge-based testing platforms that use microfluidics to isolate and detect biomarkers in blood samples, for applications like blood typing. These platforms are extensible to new applications as additional cartridges are developed.
"By combining
our experience, production and R&D capabilities, we can enhance our
ability to develop point-of-care diagnostics to address veterinarians’
most pressing challenges in clinics and on farms," said CEO Ole Kring of SMB in a press release. Zoetis has previously grown out its animal diagnostics division through the acquisitions of Synbiotics Corporation and the animal health assets of Abbott.