Roche and Technoclone to Develop Expanded Coagulation Portfolio

Roche has announced that it is to enter into a strategic alliance with Technoclone, a reagent specialist in thrombosis and cardiovascular diagnostics based in Vienna, Austria.

Roche has recently discontinued its long running distribution agreement with STAGO. A short time ago it also acquired Verum Diagnostica, a leading coagulation diagnostics company with a focus on platelet function testing, the fastest growing field in the coagulation market.

Technoclone is based in Vienna, Austria and is a leading provider of hemostasis diagnostic products. The alliance complements Roche’s strategic re-focus on hemostasis, and will allow the company to bring a brand-new, innovative hemostasis portfolio to market.

“With the strategic alliance with Technoclone, Roche continues the revaluation of its coagulation business by expanding its reagent portfolio. Based on Technoclone’s considerable industry expertise and many years of experience, combined with its proximity to the scientific community, the company fully embraces our goal of bringing improved medical value to the patient. This includes joint engagements in clinical research and future reagent developments as novel diagnostic techniques become integral factors in the targeted treatment options of tomorrow”, states Colin Brown, Head of Roche Professional Diagnostics.

“Given Roche’s unique global position as the market leader in in-vitro diagnostics our alliance will drive further developments in reagents on Roche’s novel platforms, which respond perfectly to customer needs. We are very pleased to ally with Roche as part of their new, holistic vision in hemostasis and believe that our partnership shows a real win-win situation for health professionals and patients worldwide”, states Veronika Binder, CEO of Technoclone.

Roche and Technoclone will co-develop a complete range of coagulation reagents that will be part of a menu of assays offered by the two new cobas system families for coagulation diagnostics: the cobas t 411 and the cobas t 611. From 2014 these platforms will be joined by a second system family of analyzers with groundbreaking platforms, for all customer segments. Roche will also market Technoclone’s range of research and specialty use products in selected markets.