Quest Diagnostics has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Cleveland HeartLab, a provider of innovative diagnostic services for managing cardiovascular disease. A spin-off of Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland HeartLab has created a specialized approach to identifying risk of heart disease, based in part on science published in more than 100 peer reviewed journals.
As part of the acquisition, Cleveland HeartLab will serve as the base for Quest’s first national center of excellence in cardiometabolic disorders, with a focus on services that help patients and physicians nationwide identify hidden risks of heart disease. The acquisition will combine the expertise of Cleveland HeartLab’s personalized evaluation of heart disease risk based on inflammation and other markers with Quest’s Cardio IQ lipid particle analysis and genetic and metabolic testing leadership. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Strategic Collaboration with Cleveland Clinic
In addition, Quest will establish a strategic collaboration to identify and offer diagnostic services from Cleveland Clinic’s innovations in inflammation and other areas of medicine. Specifically,Quest and Cleveland Clinicwill create a Steering Committee of experts from both companies to evaluate biomarkers on inflammation and other areas of disease discovered by the Lerner Research Institute and other parts of Cleveland Clinic; Question Diagnostics may then independently develop test services for these important biomarkers. The two entities also intend to collaborate on trials to demonstrate the clinical and economic value of these and other biomarkers.
Additional Plans
Quest Diagnostics and Cleveland HeartLab also has plans to explore ways to expand Cleveland HeartLab’s existing relationship with MDVIP, the national leader in personalized, preventive care with a network of nearly 1,000 primary care physicians. MDVIP–affiliated physicians have the time, due to smaller patient practices, tools and technology, to focus on wellness and prevention. Both Quest Diagnostics and Cleveland HeartLab provide specialized health and wellness services for primary care settings.
“Despite a mountain of research showing traditional cholesterol testing can miss heart disease, many patients are still in the dark about their true risk,” said Jake Orville, President and CEO, Cleveland HeartLab. “With investment and focus from a leader like Quest, and access to the science of Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland HeartLab will be well positioned to accelerate diagnostic innovations that shed light on risk of heart disease for the individual patient.”
