Minneapolis, MN and Waltham, MA 6/25/18; Washington, DC 6/25/18—Life science firm Bio-Techne has signed an agreement to purchase Exosome Diagnostics for $250 million and additional payouts. Exosome Diagnostics’ technology platform enables non­invasive liquid biopsy diagnostic tests. The company currently offers the urine-­based test, ExoDx Prostate(IntelliScore) (EPI) test for accessing the need for a  prostate biopsy due to ambiguous PSA test results. “This is a very strategic acquisition for us as we also expand in the CAR ­T cell marketplace, leveraging our growing critical mass in cell culture–­focused product lines,” said Bio-Techne President and CEO Charles R. Kummeth. “Following this acquisition, the Company now sells solutions to the entire workflow of cancer: research, diagnostics and therapeutics. When this transaction closes, Exosome Diagnostics will mark our 14^th acquisition in the past 5 years, and our most promising to date.” The deal is expected to close by August 1.

With the purchase, Bio-Techne adds to its fast growing cell testing business and gains greater IVD capabilities, especially in regards to regulatory experience for genomic testing approval. The company’s ACD business is developing the CTCscope liquid biopsy testing technology. Investors in Exosome Diagnostics included QIAGEN.

Exosome Diagnostics’ technology analyzes exosomal and cell free DNA (cfDNA0 RNA. According to Bio-Techne, the advantages of Exosome Diagnostics’ exosome-based liquid biopsy technology compared to tests based only on circulating tumor cell or cfDNA are earlier detection, use in non-oncological applications and access to information on immunophenotypic characteristics of the originating cell. Exosome Diagnostics has over 70 employees. The company launched its EPI test in 2016. Costing $760, the test is covered by major health care providers such as United Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente, Aetna and Medicare. Products in development at Exome Diagnostics include companion diagnostics and an exosomal protein detection system.