J&J isn't the ground-shaker in molecular testing that Roche Diagnostics is--so it is forging a different path to becoming a leader in emerging high-potential sectors of the in vitro diagnostics industry. It formed a subsidiary Veridex, dedicated to cancer diagnostics. That subsidiary is assembling a platform of core technologies and recently completed several deals, including in-licensing prostate cancer markers based on methylation, a hot area of research, from start-up Oncomethylome Sciences.

Epigenomics AG may be a big name in the small world of diagnostic start-ups these days because of its recent IPO, but two-year-old OncoMethylome Sciences SA believes it can give the older company stiff competition in the emerging field of DNA methylation-based cancer markers. The company is developing tests for early diagnosis of cancer and stratification of disease treatments, using highly sensitive, cost-effective DNA methylation technologies.

In Vivo presents another installment of our quarterly reivew of dealmaking--in this case January-March 2003. Our data come from Windhover's Strategic Transactions Database. We include medical device financings by deal type; diagnostic financings by industry segment; pharma and biotech alliances by therapeutic category and industry segment; pharma and biotech financings by market segment, and pharma and biotech M&A.