Enzymatics buys Boulder-based ArcherDx

Sep 7 2013

Enzymatics, Inc., a leading producer of reagents, kits, and assays, today announced it has acquired Boulder-based ArcherDx, Inc., a developer of innovative, NGS-based kits and software solutions for use in investigating cancer treatment. The deal consists of cash, equity and potential milestones worth up to $50 million. Jason Myers, Ph.D., Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of ArcherDx, has joined Enzymatics as Chief Scientific Officer.

“We are also truly excited to welcome Jason and his team of scientists and bioinformatics researchers to our rapidly growing company.”

With the acquisition, the company adds genomic capabilities complementary to its Enzymatics Supply Chain Solutions and Enzymatics Reagents groups and greatly expands its new Enzymatics Diagnostics group with an innovative technology, kits and analytical software to provide hospitals, research institutions and other diagnostic providers with a total solution to rapidly and cost-effectively detect and assess genetic biomarkers. ArcherDx technology has several advantages in copy number variation and translocation analyses, and results are obtained quicker than current methods, offering a more cost effective approach to healthcare.

"An unprecedented growth in genomics for healthcare is fueling greater demand for faster, more accurate, and more cost effective sequencing applications. We are seeing double-digit growth in the placement of new sequencers every year and broad adoption of genomic technologies across clinical communities. Enzymatics, which already supplies reagents and kits to approximately 80% of the NGS industry, together with ArcherDx, will bring novel sequencing applications more directly to clinical researchers," said Jon DiVincenzo, Enzymatics' President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are also truly excited to welcome Jason and his team of scientists and bioinformatics researchers to our rapidly growing company."

"Enzymatics is an ideal fit for ArcherDx as extremely high quality reagents are required for our products. We have also brought quality assurance and several supply chain steps together to create a dependable and consistent experience for our customers," said Jason Myers, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Enzymatics. "I have worked with Enzymatics extensively in the past as a customer, and the company's exceptional track record for providing unrivaled quality, responsiveness, and flexibility to customers will help advance the ArcherDx technology toward successful commercialization."

Prior to founding ArcherDx, Dr. Myers held various positions at Ion Torrent by Life Technologies. From 2010 to 2012, he was a Group Leader, managing a cross-functional product development team dedicated to collaborations with thought-leading customers. Dr. Myers joined Ion Torrent in 2008 as a Senior Scientist, developing novel template preparation methods and a range of sequencing applications for the PGM System, including amplicon and RNA sequencing methods. He also facilitated the launch of the first PGM Systems and managed customer relationships to collaboratively improve the PGM sequencing workflow and technology. Dr. Myers received his Ph.D. in molecular pharmacology from Stanford University School of Medicine and his B.A.Sc. in biochemistry and molecular biology from Colorado State University.