Early cancer detection has been shown to significantly reduce mortality. For example, ovarian cancer is notoriously difficult to detect early because, typically, the disease triggers few noticeable symptoms until it is so far advanced it is difficult to control. Research has shown that the five-year survival rate for women diagnosed in the later stages of the disease is as low as 20 to 30 percent. However, this survival rate can be greater than 90 percent if the disease is detected in its early stages.

BD develops technologies for cervical cancer screening, as well as innovative diagnostic products for the detection of cancer. The Company plans to expand its cancer diagnostic offerings to include a broad menu of new diagnostic tests for solid tumor cancers using Luminex's xMAP Technology.

Luminex's xMAP Technology is a proprietary multiplexing platform that allows scientists to conduct multiple, simultaneous tests on one patient sample. Flexible and designed for ease-of-use, it offers researchers and clinicians rapid and accurate results and allows them to save significant time and resources. xMAP Technology can be found in more than 5,400 clinics and laboratories worldwide and is used in 56 products that have been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"BD is a leader in oncology and women's health, and we are delighted to be working with the company to advance these innovative cancer diagnostics," said Douglas Bryant, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Luminex. "Cancer is one of the more challenging and deadly diseases we face today, and there is a critical need for more effective diagnostic tests in this arena. This agreement seeks to combine BD's expertise and global market reach with Luminex's industry-leading multiplexing technology to create innovative tests that will save lives."