News, Analysis, Trends, Management Innovations for
Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

Hosted by Robert Michel

News, Analysis, Trends, Management Innovations for
Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

Hosted by Robert Michel
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Predicted Growth for In Vitro Diagnostics Markets Globally Signals Upward Trajectory in Medical Laboratory Business

Growth in global IVD markets is indicator of increasing demand for clinical laboratory and anatomic pathology testing

During the next 24 months, the global in vitro diagnostics (IVD) market is predicted to exceed $50-billion in revenues. However, this robust growth has an upside and a downside for the clinical laboratories and pathology groups that purchase IVD analyzers, reagents, and consumables.

In a recent story in about the IVD industry, Frost & Sullivan, a global consulting and research firm, made predictions in different segments of the IVD market. It won’t surprise pathologists and clinical laboratory managers that the two fastest-growing segments are molecular and tissue diagnostics. (more…)

LabCorp to Buy MEDTOX Scientific, Inc., for $241 Million

More consolidation in the clinical laboratory and pathology testing industry

It was announced yesterday that MEDTOX Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTOX), of New Brighton, Minnesota, will be acquired by Laboratory Corporation of America (NYSE:LH) of Burlington, North Carolina. The purchase price is approximately $241 million and represents a 37% premium over Medtox’s closing price of $19.70 on Friday, June 1.

Significantly, LabCorp’s purchase of MEDTOX removes one more independent laboratory company from the market. This continues the trend of medical laboratory consolidation that has marked the lab testing industry for the past 25 years. (more…)

Agilent’s $2.2 Billion-Dollar Acquisition of Dako Likely to Shake Up the Anatomic Pathology and Histology Marketplace

Pathology laboratories that are customers of Dako should take notice of the coming change of ownership

Once again, a major player in histology and anatomic pathology tissue processing has been acquired. Yesterday it was announced that Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A), of Santa Clara, California, will pay $2.2 billion to acquire Dako, the cancer diagnostics company in Glostrup, Denmark. It is the largest acquisition in Agilent’s 13-year history.

The high price paid for Dako is just the latest confirmation that Wall Street investors consider molecular diagnostics and anatomic pathology to be a high-growth, profitable sector of laboratory medicine. With 2010 revenues of $340 million, Agilent will pay $2.2 billion, which is a 5.8 times multiple of Dako’s annual revenue.

Pathologists and clinical laboratory managers following the histopathology market will recall that Ventana Medical Systems, Inc., was acquired by Roche Holding AG (RHHBY) in February, 2008. The purchase price was approximately $3.4 billion, representing a multiple of 10.2 times Ventana’s 2007 revenue of about $290 million.
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Anatomic Pathology in China Is a Booming Growth Industry

Shortage of pathologists only adds to the challenges of providing high quality anatomic pathology testing services

DATELINE: Hangzhou, China—More than 1,200 Chinese pathologists and medical laboratory scientists assembled this weekend in a city marked by 1,500 years of history. The occasion was the first-ever combined meeting of the Chinese Society of Pathology and the Pathology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association.

Across the globe, pathologists and clinical laboratory professionals regularly hear about the rapid economic growth in China. This country is modernizing at an astounding rate and the evidence is easy to see in its major cities. That is certainly true here in Hanghzou, which has a population of 8.7 million people and is the anchor city for Zhejiang Province, with a population of approximately 54.4 million. It has many new buildings in its downtown and construction cranes are visible in every direction.
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Health of Pathology Laboratory Technicians at Risk from Common Solvents like Xylene and Toluene

Study identifies increased incidence of Raynaud’s phenomenon among pathology laboratory staff who work with certain chemicals

Pathologists responsible for health and safety in histology and cytology laboratories will be interested in the results of a newly published study involving staff exposure to certain chemicals. Researchers determined that medical laboratory technicians who handle common solvents develop auto-immune connective tissue diseases in increased numbers.

The new study was published this month in the Journal of Rheumatology. It offers credible evidence that clinical laboratory technicians, pathologists, and scientists who work with toluene and xylene double their chances of developing a vascular condition known as Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP). And for those who work with toluene and xylene combined with acetone or chlorinated solvents, the chance of developing severe RP increases by a factor of nine!

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