Bio-Rad has entered a binding offer to purchase all equity interests in French biotech Stilla Technologies.

According to Bio-Rad, Stilla, which develops digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) systems for genetic testing, is an apt target to complement its own existing dPCR portfolio of products. These include reagents for reverse transcription, PCR, real-time PCR, and real-time PCR reaction detection systems.

Bio-Rad anticipates that the acquisition of Stilla, which remains subject to consultation with relevant employee representatives, regulatory approvals, and other customary conditions, will close by the end of Q3 2025.

Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

“Once closed, the acquisition will support our strategy to further expand our business into applied research and clinical diagnostics where customers expect a higher degree of automation and throughput capabilities,” said Bio-Rad CEO Norman Schwarz.

Jim Barry, president of Bio-Rad’s Life Science Group, stated that with the planned launch of its QX Continuum system, which is designed to deliver automatic, multiplexed digital PCR, the consolidation of Stilla’s platform into its operations will enable it to serve the full range of digital PCR applications and meet the evolving needs of customers in genomics research and applied science.

Stilla CEO Rémi Dangla said the company was “thrilled with the prospect” of joining Bio-Rad.

Dangla said: “With Stilla’s passion for product development and Bio-Rad’s extensive life science expertise, operational excellence, and global reach, together we can bring substantial value to the work of applied research and biopharma customers around the globe.”

Bio-Rad previously acquired Curiosity Diagnostics in 2022 from Poland-based Scope Fluidics in a deal worth up to $170m.

In 2022, Bio-Rad walked away from talks to merge with competitor Qiagen. As first reported by the Wall Street Journal, people familiar with the matter stated that the aborted merger would have been worth up to $10bn.