Recent market speculation suggests that Illumina may be a potential acquisition target within the Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) industry. Amongst four of the most prominent NGS companies in the US, Illumina is reportedly considered the most likely candidate for acquisition in a recent poll.
But who would be interested in such acquisition? The obvious name is Roche.
Roche is a global healthcare company with a broad portfolio of products and services that span the entire healthcare spectrum, including pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and personalized medicine. The company has a strong track record of innovation and is committed to developing new products and services that improve the lives of patients around the world, but their track record in NGS is less than ideal.
Roche's products and services that have an overlap with Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) include:
DNA sequencing instruments and reagents: Roche offers a range of NGS instruments and reagents that are used to sequence DNA and RNA from a variety of samples. These products are used in a variety of research and clinical applications, including cancer research, infectious disease diagnostics, and personalized medicine.
Clinical NGS assays: Roche offers a range of clinical NGS assays that are used to diagnose and monitor patients with a variety of diseases. These assays are based on the company's deep understanding of human genetics and its expertise in NGS technology.
Foundation Medicine: Roche's acquisition of Foundation Medicine in 2018 was a significant move towards advancing its presence in the field of precision medicine and genomics. Foundation Medicine specializes in genomic profiling and offers comprehensive genomic profiling tests (CGP) using Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology. These tests analyze a patient's tumor at the molecular level to identify genetic alterations that could be targeted by specific therapies. This acquisition aligned with Roche's focus on personalized healthcare and oncology, enhancing its capabilities in providing tailored treatments based on individual genetic profiles.
Apart from Foundation Medicine, Roche has developed partnerships and collaborations within the NGS space. They've worked on initiatives aiming to integrate NGS technologies into clinical applications, focusing on oncology, infectious diseases, and genetic disorders. Through collaborations with various academic institutions, research organizations, and other companies, Roche continues to expand its footprint in the field of genomics and NGS-based diagnostics and therapies.
We will analyse below the troubled history between Roche and Illumina, with a historical perspective, but importantly, to set the ground for this possible M&A pow-wow.