Gains proprietary lipids technology platform and further opportunities for diagnostics, personalized medicine and commercial services
Metabolon Strengthens Metabolomics Leadership with Acquisition of Lipomics Technologies
<0> LHAMackenzie Mills, 212-838-3777@LHA_IR_PR </0>
Metabolon, Inc. announces the completion of its acquisition of Lipomics Technologies, Inc. This transaction combines Metabolon’s world-leading metabolomics technology platform for commercial services and diagnostics with Lipomics’ world-leading TrueMass® Profiling lipids technology platform.
Lipomics’ laboratory facilities will remain at its headquarters in Sacramento, California, while Metabolon’s headquarters and laboratories will remain in Research Triangle Park. Steven M. Watkins, Ph.D., Lipomics’ founder, will join Metabolon’s executive team as chief technology officer. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Michael Milburn, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of Metabolon, stated, “Metabolon has pioneered metabolomics technology and is the largest provider of solutions globally to the pharmaceutical, healthcare, consumer products, nutrition and agricultural industries, as well as to hundreds of academic institutions. Lipomics is the leader in technology to analyze lipids, including metabolites of fatty acids, acylcarnitines, sterols, amino acids, bile acids and eicosanoids. Together we have an unprecedented suite of technologies and capabilities to benefit our expanding customer base. The combined technologies will deliver new and improved diagnostic products and personalized medicine solutions for unmet needs, particularly in metabolic disease and cancer.”
“For the past 10 years Lipomics has taken pride in providing the best technology and science for understanding the role of lipids in human disease, principally in metabolic diseases associated with obesity and the lipid remodeling aspects of cancer,” said Dr. Watkins. “The prospect of combining our approach with Metabolon’s global platform is extremely exciting. Integrating the technologies will provide a deep and coherent understanding of biological systems and allow us to produce unparalleled services and products for years to come.”
John Ryals, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Metabolon, expressed his support of the acquisition saying, “By combining Metabolon and Lipomics, we have created the undisputed technology leader in the emerging field of metabolomics. We have product offerings that span from global metabolomics to complex lipid analysis to targeted analysis of many different classes of molecules. By combining our two companies, we have more than 140 employees and 450 clients, have completed 2,000 commercial projects and have 200 scientific papers either published or under review. We are not aware of another company or institution with this record of scientific and commercial achievement in the field of metabolomics.
“We are the leader in the commercialization of metabolomics with a profitable commercial life sciences service business and have launched the world’s first metabolomics-based diagnostic test for type 2 diabetes risk based on biomarkers that measure insulin resistance. We expect that in 2013 we will be marketing additional diagnostic products aimed at diseases related to obesity and cancer, and are committed to maintaining our position as the world’s leader in metabolomics.”
Lipomics provides metabolite profiling, biomarker discovery and metabolism consultation services to industry and academia. Its quantitative profiling assays are used to develop an understanding of metabolism in disease, the effects of drugs or foods on metabolism and for identifying biomarkers for use in clinical trials and as commercial products. Lipomics’ expertise in lipid and intermediary metabolism drives its development of research and clinical assays. Its TrueMass® Profiling is a suite of analytical panels that provide comprehensive and quantitative coverage of key pathways involved in metabolic, cardiovascular and inflammatory conditions.
Metabolon, Inc. has advanced the field of metabolomics by pioneering and patenting the industry’s leading biochemical biomarker discovery and profiling platform. It has developed the technology to quickly identify and measure all of the biochemicals in a biological sample through its proprietary global processing method. Through the generation and interpretation of data, this method provides a precise understanding of disease etiology and drug action, and advances personalized medicine beyond what genomics and other approaches can promise. Metabolon’s expertise is being embraced by a wide range of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food and agricultural companies. Metabolytics, its biomarker discovery and analysis business, has completed over 500 client studies and processed over 50,000 samples for customers in 2011 alone. Building on its expertise in biochemistry understanding, Metabolon is also developing proprietary diagnostic tests to determine and track disease progression. For more information about Metabolon, please visit or contact Matt Zaske at or 919-595-2200.