Innogenetics NV is an international in vitro diagnostics

In vitro diagnostics

In vitro diagnostic tests are medical devices intended to perform diagnoses from assays in a test tube, or more generally in a controlled environment outside a living organism...

 company, with headquarters in Ghent

Ghent

Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...

, Belgium. The company develops and markets diagnostic assays in the fields of infectious diseases, oncology

Oncology

Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...

, neurodegeneration

Neurodegeneration

Neurodegeneration is the umbrella term for the progressive loss of structure or function of neurons, including death of neurons. Many neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s occur as a result of neurodegenerative processes. As research progresses, many...

, transplantation and genetic testing

Genetic testing

Genetic testing is among the newest and most sophisticated of techniques used to test for genetic disorders which involves direct examination of the DNA molecule itself. Other genetic tests include biochemical tests for such gene products as enzymes and other proteins and for microscopic...

, with a special focus on molecular diagnostics and multiparameter testing. The company was acquired in September 2010 by the Japanese Fujirebio

Fujirebio

is a Japanese company that deals with manufacturing and selling reagents and equipment for clinical diagnostics and assay systems. It was founded in 1950 under the name Fujizoki Pharmaceutical, Co., Inc. and originally developed and manufactured pharmaceutical products. In 1983 its name was changed...

 Inc. Group. The CEO of Innogenetics NV is Christiaan De Wilde

Christiaan De Wilde

Christiaan De Wilde is a Belgian businessman, and he is at present the Chief Executive Officer of the Belgian biotech company Innogenetics.-Education:...

.

History

Innogenetics was founded on 18 July 1985, by Erik Tambuyzer

Erik Tambuyzer

Erik Tambuyzer is a Belgian bio-engineer and businessman. He is currently Chairman of the Board of the Flemish Center for Medical Innovation .-Education:...

, Hugo Van Heuverswyn

Hugo Van Heuverswyn

Hugo Van Heuverswyn is a Belgian molecular biologist, biotech pioneer, entrepreneur and businessman. He has been the chairman of the VIB, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, since its inception in 1995.-Education:...

 and Rudi Mariën

Rudi Mariën

Rudi Mariën is a Belgian scientist and businessman. He is Chairman of the Belgian biotech company Innogenetics.-Education:Rudi Mariën obtained a degree in pharmaceutical sciences from the University of Ghent, and specialized in clinical biology.-Career:...

. In 1992, the company launched the first commercial tests for cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...

 in Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 (INNO-LiPA CFTR) and in 1993 the first commercial test for Hepatitis C virus

Hepatitis C virus

Hepatitis C virus is a small , enveloped, positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae...

 (HCV) genotyping

Genotyping

Genotyping is the process of determining differences in the genetic make-up of an individual by examining the individual's DNA sequence using biological assays and comparing it to another individual's sequence or a reference sequence. It reveals the alleles an individual has inherited from their...

 worldwide (INNO-LiPA HCV). In 1995, the first commercial Alzheimer’s disease research test for hTau

Tau protein

Tau proteins are proteins that stabilize microtubules. They are abundant in neurons of the central nervous system and are less common elsewhere, but are also expressed at very low levels in CNS astrocytes and oligodendrocytes...

 was launched (INNOTEST hTau Ag). In 1998, the company launched the first commercial Alzheimer’s disease research test for β-Amyloid

Amyloid

Amyloids are insoluble fibrous protein aggregates sharing specific structural traits. Abnormal accumulation of amyloid in organs may lead to amyloidosis, and may play a role in various neurodegenerative diseases.-Definition:...

 and in 2002 the first commercial test for Hepatitis B virus

Hepatitis B virus

Hepatitis B is an infectious illness caused by hepatitis B virus which infects the liver of hominoidea, including humans, and causes an inflammation called hepatitis. Originally known as "serum hepatitis", the disease has caused epidemics in parts of Asia and Africa, and it is endemic in China...

 (HBV) genotyping (INNO-LiPA HBV Genotyping).

The company was one of the first biotech companies to be listed on a European stock exchange

Stock exchange

A stock exchange is an entity that provides services for stock brokers and traders to trade stocks, bonds, and other securities. Stock exchanges also provide facilities for issue and redemption of securities and other financial instruments, and capital events including the payment of income and...

, in 1996 it was the first biotech company listed on EASDAQ, now NASDAQ

NASDAQ

The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...

 Europe. Until 2008 Innogenetics had its shares traded on Euronext

Euronext

Euronext N.V. is a pan-European stock exchange based in Amsterdam and with subsidiaries in Belgium, France, Netherlands, Portugal and the United Kingdom. In addition to equities and derivatives markets, the Euronext group provides clearing and information services...

 Brussels

Brussels

Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...

. On 1 October 2007, the therapeutics division was separated into a new company GENimmune NV for the development of immune therapeutics.

Solvay Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of the Solvay Group, the chemical and pharmaceutical group, announced in September 2008 that it had acquired Innogenetics in a cash transaction valued at EUR 6.5 per share, representing EUR 200.7 million for 100% of the Innogenetics shares.

Today Innogenetics NV is a member of the Fujirebio

Fujirebio

is a Japanese company that deals with manufacturing and selling reagents and equipment for clinical diagnostics and assay systems. It was founded in 1950 under the name Fujizoki Pharmaceutical, Co., Inc. and originally developed and manufactured pharmaceutical products. In 1983 its name was changed...

Inc. group, a Japanese daughter company of Miraca Holdings.

Source

• Jannes G, De Vos D., A review of current and future molecular diagnostic tests for use in the microbiology laboratory, Methods Mol Biol. 2006;345:1-21.
• Tortoli E, Marcelli F.,Use of the INNO LiPA Rif.TB for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA directly in clinical specimens and for simultaneous determination of rifampin susceptibility, Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2007, Jan;26(1):51-5.