$1.7 Billion
No. of Employees: 6,300

With a sole focus on clinical diagnostics, Dade Behring continues to break its own records, with $1.74 billion revenue reported in 2006, a 5% jump over 2005.

The company attributed its Dimension product line as the leading revenue driver, since it became the “largest global brand in central-lab diagnostic testing in 2006,” according to the company’s annual report.

The company is segmented into four core product lines, which include Chemistry/Immunochemistry, Hemostasis, Microbiology and Infectious Disease Diagnostics. Each division contributed $1.1 billion, $317 million, $166 million and $89 million, respectively.

Within the United States, revenue was reported at $805.9 million and internationally, at $933 million. Over the past four years, the company increased R&D spending by 14% annually, indicating the company’s commitment to creating new product lines. In 2006, the company’s range of instruments grew 6.5% to 40,600.

Dade Behring attributes solid financial growth to its expansive line of products. “An ongoing driver of our success has been new product introductions,” said John Duffey, chief financial officer of Dade Behring.

The company’s main focus in the second half of 2006 revolved around the launch of Dimension Vista 1500 Intelligent Lab Systems. The company previously received regulatory clearance for the analyzer and numerous tests. The system is the industry’s first analyzer for high-volume clinical labs and enables the company to extend its presence in the clinical diagnostics industry. The system doubles the company’s market opportunity and enhances its ability to deliver revenue growth, according to Dade Behring officials.

Three new drug tests were launched—the Tacrolimus Test, an automated Ecstasy test and the CardioPhase hsCRP as part of the Dimension product line. According to the company, Dade Behring was the first in the industry to have the hsCRP test cleared by the FDA for both risk assessment of cardiovascular disease and risk stratification for the prognosis of recurrent events.

Dade Behring also introduced the Quadriga BeFree infectious disease testing system for marketplaces outside the United States. Additionally, the BCS XP System was added to its family of coagulation analyzers. Dade Behring also introduced the MicroScan microbiology test panels, with streamlined extended spectrum B-Lactamase (ESBL) tests for confirmation of ESBLs in certain bacteria.

While many companies’ strategies include acquisitions, Dade Behring’s approach centered around the formation of several partnerships in 2006 and beyond. In November, the company signed a license and cooperation agreement with Euro-Diagnostics, granting rights to Dade Behring for the use of cyclic citrullinated peptides .

This year, Dade Behring already has established two key agreements that will boost the company’s future endeavors in clinical diagnostics. The company signed a three-year agreement with Novation. The agreement grants Novation  continued access to all of the company’s chemistry instruments and reagents.

Additionally, the company signed a multi-year agreement with Premier Inc., which will provide continued access to its entire chemistry and hemostasis diagnostic systems.

Along with these agreements, Dade Behring announced in January that it had a license agreement with Radbound University Nijmegen Medical Center for rights to its new coagulation test, the Nijmegen Hemostasis Assay. In March, a partnership was formed with Immunalysis to distribute four of  its prescription medication screening tests (for drugs including oxycodone, tramadol, buprenoprphine and merperidine).

Product rollouts continued in 2007 as well. Dade Behring launched the QCC PowerPak for Dimension systems. In March 2007, the company unveiled plans to distribute drug tests manufactured by Immunalysis.