BioSite's Play for High-Value Diagnostics

Biosite, a small point-of-care diagnostics company, has figured out a way to pay for access to genetic markers that could be the basis of important new diagnostics tests, without laying out big bucks. It is offering to provide genomics companies with antibodies developed using its proprietary methodology, which allows it to make high-affinity antibodies much faster than any other supplier. Partners, genomics or pharmaceutical companies, pay for the cost of the antibodies and give Biosite exclusive rights to any genetic markers they develop that may have diagnostic applications. Already Biosite has one alliance with Scios Inc., a genomics company working in the area of cardiovascular and kidney diseases.