Category: News

New acquisition in the IVD industry:
SSI Diagnostica continues strong growth journey by merging with Virginia-based TechLab

SSI Diagnostica Group (SSID), a global in-vitro diagnostics company backed by Adelis Equity Partners, has experienced significant growth in recent years based on its ability for new product innovation, expansion into international markets and strategic acquisitions. SSID’s latest transformational acquisition, announced today, is the Virginia-based firm TechLab, Inc., a leading developer and manufacturer of rapid infectious disease tests for gastrointestinal and enteric diseases. By joining forces with TechLab, SSID is broadening its infectious disease product offering and laying the foundation for accelerated growth in the US.

The importance of rapid and accurate diagnostics has become clear to everyone during the last two years. Healthcare systems have had to adapt, to handle challenges such as ageing demographics in developed countries, and the need to raise care standards in emerging markets. Increased outpatient/community care, telehealth, and patient self-testing enabled by rapid diagnostics are among others important aspects of the solution to these challenges.

The combination of SSID and TechLab, two companies known for the quality of their products, creates a diagnostics company uniquely positioned to support and benefit from these tailwinds. This is achieved by broadening SSID’s diagnostic test areas beyond respiratory and tropical diseases to also include gastrointestinal and enteric diseases. Furthermore, the combined group will have access to a truly global manufacturing and commercial footprint from which it can serve its customers and ultimately, patients.

“TechLab, CTK and SSI Diagnostica all come from a strong history of R&D excellence, enabling them to become leaders within their respective diagnostic fields. By joining forces, we strengthen our position within infectious disease testing and add unique commercial and manufacturing competencies globally, including on the important US market. Today, the SSID group helps close to 80 million patients every year with diagnostic testing solutions. The joint group will be able to help countless more,” says Søren Skjold Mogensen, CEO, SSI Diagnostica Group.

International breakthrough
SSID has grown significantly in recent years through innovation and new product development, as well as strategic M&A into key focus areas. SSID joined forces with San Diego-based CTK Biotech in 2020, significantly broadening the group’s rapid testing operations. By combining with TechLab, SSID is once again strengthening its strategic position within the global diagnostics market. The joint group will have combined annual sales exceeding USD 160 million and 650 employees in Denmark, USA, and China. The growth partner for SSID is Adelis Equity Partners, the private equity firm that has been the group’s majority
owner for more than six years. In conjunction with SSID’s acquisition of TechLab, Adelis has restructured its ownership of the group to enable support for the company for many more years to come.

“We believe rapid diagnostics and self-testing will continue to change healthcare. The restructuring of our ownership has enabled the acquisition of TechLab, but most importantly also gives the group significant capital for further acquisitions. We already sell molecular diagnostics products, so adding additional products in this segment could be an interesting expansion area. We look forward to supporting SSID for many years to come,” explains Rasmus Molander, Co-Managing Partner, Adelis Equity Partners.

A joint advantage
With the addition of TechLab, SSID will have a wide portfolio of high-quality gastrointestinal, respiratory and tropical disease tests to serve its broad network of clinical customers around the world. TechLab will enable SSID to grow quickly in the US, while SSID can accelerate TechLab’s growth in Europe, Southeast Asia and South America. The group will also invest in the expansion of the operations in Virginia, USA.

“We look forward to continued growth and investment with our new partners, SSID and Adelis Equity Partners, as we further expand the global scope of our products and the development of new technologies,” says Daniel Delaney, CEO & President, TechLab, Inc.

The new SSI Diagnostica Group:
• Experts in rapid infectious disease diagnostics (respiratory, gastrointestinal, tropical, etc.)
• Global presence with a strong US commercial platform, besides a strong presence in Europe, South America and Southeast Asia
• Global manufacturing footprint, including the US, Denmark and China
• Capital available for significant further acquisitions
• Combined sales of USD 160 million


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For further information or interview requests please contact:
Emilie Roepstorff, Kompas Kommunikation
+45 23241305/emilieroep@kompas.dk

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About SSI Diagnostica Group
SSI Diagnostica was independently established in 1998, before which it was part of the Danish Statens Serum Institut, founded in 1902. SSI Diagnostica is now one of the leading innovation, production, and distribution companies within in-vitro diagnostic products. In 2020, the company significantly expanded its rapid testing business by acquiring CTK Biotech, based in San Diego. The company has an ambition and strategic plan to continue its international expansion within its four business areas: 1. Disease Prevention, 2. Rapid Screening, 3. Precision Testing and 4. Microbiology Lab Solutions.

About TechLab, Inc.
TechLab®, Inc. is a full-service innovator and manufacturer of infectious disease tests, including market leading assays for gastrointestinal and enteric diseases. Founded in 1989, TechLab is a leading developer and manufacturer of diagnostic products. The company has a portfolio of diagnostic tests for infectious disease and intestinal inflammation. TechLab also performs in-vitro diagnostic and life science contract manufacturing services. TechLab is headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia and manufactures its diagnostic products in the US at its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Radford, Virginia. For more information, please visit www.techlab.com.

About Adelis Equity Partners
Adelis is a partner for well-positioned, growth-focused companies. Adelis partners with management and/or owners to build businesses in growth segments and with strong market positions. Since raising its first fund in 2013, Adelis has been one of the most active investors in the Nordic middle-market, making 35 platform investments and more than 150 add-on acquisitions. Adelis currently manages approximately EUR 2.5 billion in capital. For more information, please visit www.adelisequity.com.

How a certain species of the unwelcomed Legionella might be more common than the numbers suggest.

The potentially fatal Legionnaires’ disease is caused by the bacterium Legionella. Several different species of Legionella exist. However, one species is responsible for most infections around the world – namely Legionella pneumophila.

Or so we think. 

Because, what if other Legionella species aren’t found, simply because we don’t test for them? 

This question is raised by a Swedish study conducted following a 2018 outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease. Here, authorities discovered that the cause of infection was another species than the usual suspect, Legionella pneumophila. In 30 out of 41 reported cases, the perpetrator was identified as Legionella longbeachae.

The cases couldn’t be tied to people traveling from certain countries, bringing home this supposedly uncommon species. Instead, the study found evidence that the infections were caused by handling gardening soil.

What’s more, the study found that the cases weren’t related to one specific type or brand of soil. This wasn’t just a bad apple from a single soil supplier: The researchers were able to isolate Legionella longbeachae in different soils.

So, why this sudden outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease caused by the soil-transmitted Legionella longbeachae? In Europe, only 1% of reported cases can be attributed to this specific species, so the Swedish numbers from 2018 were well off the charts. The answer may be found 14.000 kilometers around the world.

The researchers point to the simple fact that it takes specific types of tests to find specific types of Legionella. And Swedish healthcare – as in most of the rest of the world – only tests for the well-known Legionella pneumophila.

In Australia and New Zealand, however, health care institutions routinely test for Legionella longbeachae because this species is far more common there than in the rest of the world.

But what if – the study asks – it’s the other way round? What if Australia and New Zealand detect Legionella longbeachae far more often simply because they test for this species far more often?

Numbers from New Zealand do seem to favour this explanation: When the country introduced PCR testing for Legionella Longbeachae, authorities observed a fourfold increase in annual Legionnaires’ disease cases, with the majority caused by Legionella longbeachae.

You only find what you look for – or as the researchers dryly put it: “As additional diagnostic methods are needed to confirm other species of Legionella, these species are likely to be under-reported…”

References

Löf Emma, Chereau Fanny, Jureen Pontus, Andersson Sabina, Rizzardi Kristina, Edquist Petra, Kühlmann-Berenzon Sharon, Galanis Ilias, Schönning Caroline, Kais Madeleine, Tideholm Nylén Anne, Wallensten Anders, Roth Adam, on behalf of the National Outbreak Investigation Team. An outbreak investigation of Legionella non-pneumophila Legionnaires’ disease in Sweden April to August 2018: Gardening and use of commercial bagged soil associated with infections. Euro Surveill. 2021;26(7):pii=1900702. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.7.1900702

Update to Lot numbers for all products not part of the culture media portfolio

SSI Diagnostica A/S is preparing for IVDR implementation, as the deadline is fast approaching, we are now ready to implement a new software solution for creation of labels.

As part of this update, we will start changing the labels for our products, the two most noticeable changes will be removal of the SSID Diagnostica shield in the top right corner from the label, and a new lot number implementation.

For ImmuView an additional change will be noticeable, each component in the kit will have separate item and lot numbers.

This change does not have any effect on the product, and the quality is unchanged for the products.

The update will be implemented on a running basis in production for new productions, starting from week 43 and forward.

The new lot numbers will be a combination of three letters and up to three numbers, for some product, it will also include a dash and three additional letters plus a number.

Example on new lot number:

ABC123

DEF889

ABC1

DEF1

ABC123-XX81

DEF987-B223

Today, we proudly launch the new SSI Diagnostica corporate website. Here, we want to give our costumers and partners an improved user experience, updated visual design and improved communication.

Keeping things simple is no simple task when you operate in a global and regulated market with complex products and a diverse target group.

If you work within the field of diagnostics, we are sure you will agree. Still, when we set out to build our new corporate website, simplicity is what we aimed for.

Because our field is complex enough, we wanted to make it simpler for you to find the information you need, whether you’re looking for specific product data, contact details, or industry insights.

At SSI Diagnostica, we strive to understand your business and offer relevant insights and solutions to help you simplify your operation. And rather than imposing rigid processes, we seek to operate according to your needs.

This ambition is what we wanted to convey and support throughout the new website — and which we have summed up in a new corporate core story under the headline; “Making your work simpler for the better of diagnostics.”

We hope you will find the visual design, texts, and not least user experience better and simpler.