Press Release : LaCAR MDx Technologies acquires Baebies, Inc.'s Newborn Screening Division in the U.S.
LaCAR MDx Technologies, a company specialized in automated solutions for newborn screening, announces the strategic acquisition of the Newborn Screening division of Baebies, Inc., a U.S. company known for its innovative neonatal diagnostic technologies. This acquisition is part of LaCAR’s strategy to expand its range of solutions and accelerate its expansion into the U.S. market.
LaCAR: cutting-edge expertise in genetic diagnostics and a growing international player
Founded in December 2013 in Liège, LaCAR MDx Technologies was created through collaboration between various actors from Belgian economic and scientific networks. With a team of 78 employees spread across four locations, the mission of LaCAR is to make diagnostics faster and more accessible. The company develops innovative solutions in two high-potential sectors: newborn screening and pharmacogenetics.
One of LaCAR’s main strengths lies in the development of tests that do not require DNA extraction, simplifying and speeding up genetic analyses while ensuring reliable results. Today, the company operates in more than 50 countries and provides automated solutions to nearly 250 clients.
“Our goal is to provide laboratories with increasingly effective solutions tailored to the needs of newborn screening. The acquisition of Baebies Newborn Screening division represents a major step forward, allowing us to offer a more complete range and reinforce our position on the market.” – Arnaud Allaer, CEO of LaCAR MDx Technologies.
Baebies Newborn Screening: a strategic acquisition in Lysosomal Storage Disease (LSD) Screening, a technological advancement, and an access to the U.S. Market
Based in the U.S., Baebies is known for its innovations in newborn screening, particularly with its SEEKER solution dedicated to detecting Lysosomal Storage Diseases (LSD). Through this acquisition, LaCAR integrates cutting-edge screening technology, extending the number of diseases screened among newborns across Europe.
“We share a common vision with Baebies: to provide laboratories around the world with innovative and accessible solutions. This acquisition is an opportunity to strengthen our expertise and put it to work to provide better care for all newborns” announces Arnaud Allaer, CEO of LaCAR MDx Technologies.
This acquisition aims to achieve three major objectives for LaCAR:
- Expand its newborn screening offering by integrating an exclusive cutting-edge technology: digital microfluidic for Newborn Screening.
- Accelerate the commercialization of Baebies’ products outside the United States.
- Strengthen its presence in the U.S. market through its North Carolina site.
“With this acquisition, we are taking a significant step toward becoming a key player in global newborn screening. By combining our expertise with Baebies', we offer our clients even more effective solutions tailored to high-potential niche market,” adds Arnaud Allaer, CEO of LaCAR MDx Technologies.
A positive impact on employment and innovation
The integration of Baebies' Newborn Screening division into LaCAR will ensure continuity of operations and optimal customer support. This expansion will have a direct impact on employment and technological development. Following this acquisition, LaCAR plans to strengthen its teams in the United States and Belgium. The exclusivity of this new microfluidic technology applied to neonatal screening will foster the development of the R&D center in Belgium and stimulate innovation within the Belgian biotech ecosystem.
These international developments will reinforce the company's historic ecosystem, a point that Benoît Fellin, Head of the Life Sciences Department at Noshaq, is pleased to highlight: ‘This acquisition marks a key milestone in LaCAR's growth and strengthens its international positioning. We're really proud to be following and supporting its development. We are delighted to contribute to this expansion and success, in such a strategic field as neonatal screening.’
“We would like to thank our investors and financial partners (Noshaq, Kazoku, Wallonie Entreprendre International, BNP Paribas Fortis and Belfius) for their trust and support. Thanks to them, we can pursue with great ambition our commitment to innovation and technological progress in the field of neonatal screening” concludes Arnaud Allaer, CEO of LaCAR MDx Technologies.
About LaCAR MDx Technologies
LaCAR is a Belgian company specialized in the production and commercialization of IVDR diagnostic kits in the fields of pharmacogenetics and neonatal screening, certified ISO 13485 and MDSAP. LaCAR is committed to providing cutting-edge technologies worldwide to improve the quality of healthcare.