CELLINK Will Acquire Hybrid Microscopy Developer Discover Echo

Bioconvergence company CELLINK has entered an agreement to acquire Discover Echo Inc., a San Diego-based microscopy and imaging company. The acquisition is CELLINK’s third since mid-May, when it announced on consecutive days that it had acquired Nanoscribe and Visikol in moves that totaled nearly $80 million and fortified its presence in the biophotonics space.

The purchase price of the Discover Echo acquisition is worth $110 million. Discover Echo will continue as a standalone company and under current management following completion of the deal, the closing dates of which were not specified in a press release announcing the deal.

“The world of microscopy is going through a massive transformation, and we are very excited to lead the way forward together with Discover Echo,” said CELLINK CEO Erik Gatenholm. “This acquisition further exemplifies our vision and mission to be the complete solutions provider for our customers in the field of tissue engineering, cell line development, multi-omics, and diagnostics.”

Discover Echo develops and offers hybrid automated microscopes that transform between upright and inverted configurations. Over the company’s eight-year history, it has replaced the traditional eyepieces of its microscopes with ultrahigh resolution touchscreen displays, and it offers a software app that aims to advance the workflow of acquiring, sharing, and analyzing images. The company is expected to grow 65% in 2021 and generate approximately $20 million.

Discover Echo has one European subsidiary, which is located in the U.K.