Agilent unit picks up lab software rights to fuel cancer diagnostics biz

In the hours before the holiday exodus, Agilent Technologies' ($A) Dako unit revealed a deal to scoop up rights to connectivity software and development talent to bolster business to support labs involved in cancer diagnostics.

Dako gained the goods from California-based System Dynamics, which has already been working with Dako for a dozen years on software used with its Artisan and Autostainer instruments. The software also links to laboratory information systems (LISs) in more than 150 sites around the globe, Dako says. Now Dako owns rights to that software, but the company and System Dynamics agree not to disclose the purchase price.

"The acquisition of the intellectual property rights behind [LIS] connectivity software is an important milestone for Dako in our efforts to further strengthen our position and capabilities in LIS connectivity," says Jacob Thaysen, CVP Dako R&D, in a statement. "Moreover, the SDI team will bring important competencies to Dako, ensuring our ability to continue the development of the DakoLink solution to the benefit of our customers in pathology laboratories around the world."

News of this deal was easily buried by likely bigger stories on life sciences software such as CRO giant Parexel's $72 million buyout of Liquent last week. Yet Dako's buyout signals growing interest in automating lab workflows with software. Everyone from diagnostic labs to drug R&D operations is scrambling to boost productivity.

- here's Dako's release