NEW YORK – Sherlock Biosciences announced on Wednesday that it will acquire Cambridge, UK, molecular diagnostics company Sense Biodetection for undisclosed terms.
The firms intend to pair Sherlock's CRISPR, synthetic biology, and AI technologies with Sense's instrument-free diagnostic hardware and rapid molecular amplification chemistries for a faster path to commercialization, according to a statement.
The acquisition also accelerates Sherlock's go-to-market strategy by adding Sense's Veros platform and manufacturing capabilities, the firms said.
"This acquisition accelerates Sherlock's ability to put the most advanced CRISPR-based diagnostics conveniently in the hands of global consumers," said Bryan Dechairo, president and CEO of Sherlock Biosciences.
Sense received the CE mark in March 2022 for its Veros COVID-19 rapid, instrument-free molecular test.
Coupled with Sherlock's proprietary engineering biology tools, including the first US Food and Drug Administration-authorized use of CRISPR technology, this transaction enables Sherlock to bring highly accurate, advanced, handheld tests to global consumers for a wide range of diseases, "from respiratory and sexual health to global health outbreak response," the firms said.
Sherlock will now integrate Sense's chemistry, manufacturing, and technology into its platform, leveraging the company's development and regulatory experience to expand the capabilities of the Sherlock platform and drive further innovation.
"Joining Sherlock with [its] novel CRISPR technology was an excellent opportunity and we look forward to advancing our platform to meet the need for testing wherever and whenever it is needed," said Sense CEO Timothy Still.
Sherlock Biosciences also recently licensed an ambient amplification technology from Harvard's Wyss Institute with the intention of creating infectious disease diagnostic tests for home use and point-of-care testing.