A Coup for Gen-Probe
Executive Summary
Chiron and Gen-Probe have entered into a strategic alliance which gives Chiron access to Gen-Probe's nucleic acid technologies and Gen-Probe gets rights to use HCV and other proprietary Chiron technology in manufacturing assays. Chiron will be selling Gen-Probe instruments to blood banks and clinical labs. Blood banks are starting to get interested in DNA screening for some major viral infections like HIV and HCV, because the technique is more sensitive and specific. The deal is a coup for Gen-Probe, because it gets rights to one of most coveted patents in diagnostics and it broadens Chiron's DNA platform beyond the disappointing bDNA.