QuidelOrtho Expands in Mexico With Lifotronic Deal

QuidelOrtho has entered a long-term strategic supply agreement with Lifotronic Technology to expand its immunoassay portfolio in selected markets outside the United States. The deal provides access to multiple low-, mid-, and high-throughput analyzer platforms and is expected to add more than 25 new assays not currently available on QuidelOrtho’s VITROS system. The combined menu across the partnered platforms will exceed 70 assays. The companies will focus commercially on Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. 

QuidelOrtho has signed a long-term strategic supply agreement with Shenzhen-based Lifotronic Technology to expand its global immunoassay portfolio and accelerate access to scalable testing solutions in selected markets outside the United States, including Mexico.

Immunoassays are laboratory tests that measure specific substances in the body, such as hormones, proteins or infectious disease markers, using antibodies engineered to bind to those targets with high specificity, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. These technologies draw on the immune system’s natural ability to recognize foreign substances, or antigens, including bacteria and viruses, and to generate antibodies in response.

Because antibodies are highly specific to the antigens they target, their interaction is often described as a lock-and-key relationship. By leveraging this specificity, immunoassay technologies use either antibodies or antigens to detect and quantify a substance of interest, known as an analyte, in a patient sample.

The immunoassay market is experiencing steady growth, with its global size estimated at US$26.83 billion in 2024. Projections indicate this market will expand to US$35.10 billion by 2030, reflecting a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.59% between 2025 and 2030. Immunoassays are vital for personalized medicine, as they enable the identification of specific biomarkers, which are essential for predicting a patient's response to different therapies and thereby tailoring treatment plans, reports Grand View Research.

The agreement gives QuidelOrtho access to multiple immunoassay analyzer platforms from Lifotronic, covering low- to mid-volume and high-throughput systems. The platforms are supported by a broad assay menu that includes routine and specialized testing. Through the collaboration, QuidelOrtho expects to add more than 25 new assays that are not currently available on its VITROS system, contributing to a combined menu of more than 70 assays across the newly partnered platforms.

The companies said the expansion is designed to strengthen QuidelOrtho’s position in competitive tenders that require comprehensive test menus and flexible system configurations. The portfolio additions are also intended to support laboratories of varying sizes, from facilities seeking lower-volume solutions to high-capacity laboratories requiring scalable throughput and broader assay coverage.

Bryan Hanson, Senior Vice President of Global Clinical Laboratories and Transfusion Medicine, QuidelOrtho, said the collaboration would enable the company to introduce scalable testing solutions in key growth markets while reinforcing its long-term innovation strategy. He added that assay breadth and cost efficiency are increasingly important in markets where laboratories are consolidating procurement and seeking integrated platforms.

Liu Xiancheng, President, Lifotronic Technology, described the agreement as a milestone in Lifotronic’s global expansion strategy. He said the company plans to leverage its research and development capabilities to deliver diagnostic solutions aligned with clinical demand in international markets.

The commercial focus of the agreement will include Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Mexico, Central America, South America, India, China, Japan and other Asia-Pacific markets. The companies stated that the partnership is intended to address menu gaps, increase competitiveness in international tenders and provide laboratories with broader immunoassay offerings and adaptable system options.

QuidelOrtho operates across clinical chemistry, immunoassay, immunohematology and molecular diagnostics. The company provides diagnostic systems for use in hospitals, laboratories, clinics and point-of-care settings, with an emphasis on delivering test results that support clinical decision-making.

Lifotronic Technology develops and commercializes medical devices in the fields of in vitro diagnostics as well as therapy and rehabilitation. In diagnostics, its portfolio includes electrochemiluminescence, HbA1c and specific protein testing technologies. The company reports that it has developed a full range of electrochemiluminescence immunoassay instruments and reagents spanning low-, mid-, and high-throughput categories. 

The companies noted that the products referenced in the agreement are not currently approved for sale in the United States and have not received regulatory authorization in any jurisdiction. Commercial launch, sale and use of the systems and assays will depend on obtaining required regulatory approvals in each market. Statements regarding product availability, performance and timelines are based on current expectations and remain subject to change.