NEW YORK (360Dx) – BioMérieux said today it has signed a deal to commercialize Banyan Biomarkers' tests for diagnosing traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
Under the terms of the agreement, BioMérieux will make a $7 million equity investment in Banyan in exchange for rights to commercialize Banyan's TBI tests for global use as in vitro diagnostics on BioMérieux's VIDAS immunoassay platform.
The companies are aiming to develop the TBI test — which uses two protein markers to detect TBI — as an automated US Food & Drug Administration-cleared IVD. Banyan has developed the test as a less costly and more sensitive alternative to existing TBI diagnostics like cognitive assessments and CT scans.
The agreement also calls for the companies to collaborate on additional tests in the area of TBI and critical care.
"We have been especially impressed by the quality of the team at Banyan Biomarkers, the thoroughness of their work, and the promising data," Francois Lacoste, corporate vice president of BioMérieux's clinical unit, said in a statement. "This partnership with Banyan Biomarkers illustrates our commitment to bring pioneering high medical value diagnostic solutions to the physicians and help them improve patient care and reduce healthcare spending."