LabCorp Enters Into License Agreement with Sequella

Sequella Inc. licensed its B-SMART™ technology to Laboratory Corporation of America® Holdings (LabCorp) to allow LabCorp to develop a new laboratory-based antibiotic susceptibility assay for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and to commercially use the assay in the United States. The assays that LabCorp will develop using B-SMART™ technology will combine nucleic acid testing with phage-based technology to accurately and quickly identify any resistance of M. tuberculosis clinical isolates to antitubercular antibiotics, regardless of whether the resistance genotype is known. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Sequella retains all rights to commercialize B-SMART™ technology worldwide for indications other than tuberculosis, and for territories other than the United States for tuberculosis.

Nucleic acid-based diagnostics are well established in laboratory medicine, and many are used to screen for infectious diseases, resulting in a $1.1 billion industry in the United States. The B-SMART™ technology is compatible with any nucleic acid detection system, can be used to develop tests that detect resistance to any drug, and can provide results in hours.

“We are delighted to sign the first partnership for our B-SMART™ technology with LabCorp, an industry leader in central laboratory testing in the United States,” commented Dr. Carol A. Nacy, CEO of Sequella. “We look forward to a successful collaboration and a timely introduction by LabCorp of a new assay that can facilitate appropriate drug selection by physicians treating tuberculosis in this country.”