The U.K.'s Renishaw Diagnostics Ltd. will join forces with a technology transfer group to identify research that could lead to new infectious disease-related clinical diagnostic tests. Their deal offers an interesting way for a diagnostic outfit to expand its offerings.
Their goal: to both identify and speed research that could significantly broaden RDL's diagnostic test roster.
RDL will bring technological expertise to the table, particularly its assay development and screening technology know-how. MRC, a technology transfer entity, initially debuted in 2000 to handle technology transfer needs for the Medical Research Council--a publicly funded U.K. government agency that coordinates and funds medical research. Today, MRC works with universities, medical research charities and life sciences entities to pursue technology transfer, and the hope is that it will bring some of that mojo to RDL. In the end, RDL wants to boost the capabilities of its RenDx multiplex assay system, and more assays will certainly help. Also, infectious disease testing is a burgeoning part of the diagnostics industry, and RDL clearly wants a larger piece of the pie.
Michael Dalrymple, director of business development at MRC Technology, said the partnership doesn't involve any money changing hands.
"It's an agreement to work together," he told FierceDiagnostics via email. "We are yet to define a project but there are several possibilities."
Dalrymple added that MRC Technology "will create robust assays and early proof of concept," and that Renishaw will then take on the development at that point in order to broaden its test roster.
RDL is a subsidiary of a fairly large company, simply called Renishaw Group, which launched in 1973 and focuses on engineering technologies, medical devices and Raman spectroscopy systems. The overall company now employs 2,700 people in more than 30 countries, according to its website.
- read the release
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include interview comments from Michael Dalrymple, MRC Technology's director of business development.