Takara Bio USA Holdings, Inc. Announces the Acquisition of Curio Bioscience, Adding Spatial Biology to Its Broad Portfolio of Single-Cell Omics Solutions

SAN JOSE, Calif.--( BUSINESS WIRE )-- Takara Bio USA Holdings, Inc. (“TBUSH”) today announced the acquisition of Curio Bioscience, a pioneering company in the field of spatial genomics. This strategic acquisition combines two innovative spatial biology platforms with Takara Bio’s industry-leading portfolio of single-cell genomics tools.

TBUSH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Takara Bio Inc. ("Takara Bio"), a leading global biotechnology and life science company headquartered in Shiga, Japan. Takara Bio USA , Inc. ("TBUSA") is a wholly owned subsidiary of TBUSH. TBUSA and TBUSH are part of the global Takara Bio Group, which offers diverse life science products and services supporting discovery, translational, and clinical scientists in advancing their research.

The Curio Bioscience acquisition will extend the power of Takara Bio’s NGS solutions and give customers deeper insights into tissue spatial organization and molecular composition. “We are proud of our history of innovation in the single-cell genomics market, having developed the first commercially available kits for single-cell RNA- and DNA-seq,” said Carol Lou, President and CEO of Takara Bio USA. “The acquisition of Curio Bioscience continues this legacy with the addition of Trekker, the first truly single-cell spatial technology.”

Curio’s advanced Trekker and Seeker technologies integrate spatial information with molecular data, enabling researchers to transform single-cell sequencing data into spatially resolved maps. This transformation offers high-resolution insights into the organization and function of cells within their native tissue environments.

“Curio Bioscience is dedicated to creating innovative approaches that map the entire transcriptome with unparalleled sensitivity and resolution,” said Stephen Fodor, co-founder and CEO. “Combining Curio’s technology with Takara Bio’s vast NGS and single-cell tool set will provide customers with industry-leading solutions for their spatial biology needs.”

Through these advancements, Takara Bio has solidified its position as a leader in the single-cell genomics market by continually driving innovation and supporting groundbreaking research in the life science market for a wide range of applications in cancer biology, neuroscience, developmental biology, and immunology.

Advisors

Houlihan Lokey acted as exclusive financial advisor and Cooley LLP acted as legal advisor to Takara Bio.

Aquilo Partners, L.P. acted as financial advisor and Dorsey & Whitney LLP as legal advisor to Curio Bioscience.

About Takara Bio

Takara Bio USA, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Takara Bio Inc. that manufactures and distributes kits, reagents, and instruments for the life sciences, including NGS, PCR, gene delivery, genome editing, stem cell research, nucleic acid and protein purification, and automated sample preparation.

Takara Bio Inc., a world leader in biotechnology research and development, offers a host of life science research solutions, from enzymes and GMP-grade reagents to contracted cell and gene therapy manufacturing services and is the developer of the RetroNectin® reagent, a world standard in gene therapy protocols. Takara Bio is committed to preventing disease and improving the quality of life for all people through the use of biotechnology. For more information, visit takarabio.com .

About Curio Bioscience

Curio Bioscience is advancing a new generation of high-precision tools for the life sciences industry. The company has developed innovative spatial biology capabilities to map the whole transcriptome at high resolution using existing sequencing workflows and instrumentation. The founding team has a strong track record of bringing genomic solutions to market. Curio Bioscience is based in Palo Alto, California.

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