Leica Biosystems has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire StatLab Medical Products, marking the latest merger and acquisition activity in what has been a busy 24 months for in vitro diagnostics (IVD) companies.
Financial terms were not disclosed, according to a press release. However, StatLab has acquired at least seven anatomic pathology manufacturers and lab consumables firms since 2021 as it grew its portfolio and worth. More details may emerge in future public company filings.
The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026, subject to regulatory clearances and other customary conditions. Leica Biosystems is part of Danaher, while StatLab is currently owned by Linden Capital Partners and Audax Private Equity.
Following the closing, StatLab will become part of Leica Biosystems, expanding the company’s anatomical pathology portfolio across the pre-analytical and analytical histology workflow.
StatLab develops and manufactures products used for specimen collection, tissue processing, slide preparation, and staining. Leica said the acquisition could help pathology laboratories improve workflow consistency and standardization. These capabilities will become increasingly important as laboratories adopt digital pathology and artificial intelligence tools.
“We are excited by the opportunity to combine StatLab’s trusted portfolio with Leica Biosystems’ global leadership in pathology, computational pathology and AI-enabled diagnostics,” said Gustavo Perez Fernandez, group executive of Danaher’s diagnostics business and president of Leica Biosystems.
Diagnostics companies reshape portfolios
The deal follows several much larger transactions that have reshaped the sector over the past 24 months.
In March 2026, Abbott completed its acquisition of Exact Sciences, bringing the cancer diagnostics company behind Cologuard into Abbott’s portfolio. Abbott previously valued the transaction at approximately $21 billion in equity value and $23 billion in enterprise value.
Additionally, private equity firms Blackstone and TPG completed their acquisition of Hologic, a major provider of molecular diagnostics, cytology, breast imaging, and other women’s health technologies. The deal brought Hologic private after years as a public company.
Waters also completed its combination with BD’s Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions business in February 2026. The deal added microbiology, flow cytometry, specimen management, and other diagnostic technologies to Waters’ existing analytical instruments portfolio.
Earlier, Roche completed its acquisition of LumiraDx’s point-of-care technology in July 2024, adding a portable platform capable of performing immunoassay and clinical chemistry testing, with potential expansion into molecular diagnostics.
For clinical laboratory leaders, the Leica–StatLab agreement is another sign that IVD manufacturers and investors are assembling broader portfolios that combine instruments, consumables, workflow products, digital capabilities, and specialized assays. Such consolidation could provide laboratories with more integrated solutions, but it may also reduce the number of independent suppliers and change pricing, service, and purchasing dynamics.
This article was created with the assistance of Generative AI and has undergone editorial review before publishing.
