Momentum Biotechnologies Announces Acquisition of OmicScouts

BILLERICA, Mass. and MUNICH, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Momentum Biotechnologies ("Momentum"), a contract research organization ("CRO") specializing in mass spectrometry-based drug discovery, announced today that it has successfully completed the acquisition of OmicScouts GmbH ("OmicScouts"), a Munich-based CRO and established leader in the field of mass spectrometry-based proteomics, operating hereafter as OmicScouts, a Momentum Biotechnologies Company.  With this transaction, Momentum gains access to a broad portfolio of well-validated proteomic assays that enhance and extend their existing service offerings, enabling clients to seamlessly progress from high-throughput screening into cell-based assays, as well as to discover new targets and biomarkers. The acquisition also enables immediate geographic expansion into the European market, further realizing Momentum's strategic commitment to providing gold-standard scientific services to biopharmaceutical innovators worldwide.

"Our clients have long requested our help triaging and further interrogating the hits we uncover through high-throughput screens. With the addition of OmicScouts' leading chemoproteomic capabilities, we are now able to take projects beyond hit identification to interrogate target engagement, selectivity/specificity, and global drug response, effectively closing the existing gap between biochemical hit triage and downstream cell-based and preclinical assays," says Can Ozbal, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Momentum Biotechnologies. "We are excited about this opportunity to expand our service capabilities while maintaining our mutual commitments to customer satisfaction, scientific rigor, and ongoing technological innovation."

OmicScouts' co-founder and CEO Hannes Hahne, Ph.D. will transition into a new role as President and member of Momentum's global executive leadership team following the integration: "OmicScouts was founded from our desire to give researchers the tools and talent needed for proteomics-based drug discovery. The Momentum team shared a similar vision to make high-throughput mass spectrometry accessible to drug developers, and I am excited to combine forces towards an even bigger vision of providing the ultimate drug discovery cascade with screening through proteomics."  

The two groups are aligned in their firm technical foundations and long-lasting client relationships, making the acquisition an excellent cultural and strategic fit. "OmicScouts and Momentum are both distinguished by technical excellence and deep trust from their clients. This combination allows us to integrate OmicScouts' proteomics expertise with our screening technologies and ultimately accelerate the drug design process for clients," says Peter Batesko, Lead Director of Momentum and CEO of Care Equity, the healthcare investment firm backing Momentum.

Two of OmicScouts' co-founders and scientific advisers, Mathias Wilhelm, Ph.D., and Bernhard Kuster, Ph.D., will join Momentum's Scientific Advisory Board, where they will serve as valuable resources for the combined team. "I am excited to serve as an advisor for this exceptional group as they continue to develop and expand their service offerings and offer unique insights to clients through rich, high-quality mass spectrometry data," says Wilhelm. Kuster comments, "My lab continued to work closely with Hannes and OmicScouts to translate cutting-edge proteomics methods from academia into tangible therapeutic innovations. The impact of proteomics on drug discovery is only starting to gain recognition, and we are excited to accelerate these advancements." 

About Momentum Biotechnologies
Momentum Biotechnologies is a drug discovery partner providing specialized, cutting-edge mass spectrometry technologies to biopharmaceutical clients across the globe. Through a diverse array of services, including affinity-selection mass spectrometry (ASMS), covalent binding assays, chemoproteomics, and small-molecule analysis, Momentum helps clients identify, validate, and characterize therapeutic leads, accelerating critical drug discovery efforts. Thanks to their proven workflows, state-of-the-art facilities, and extensive mass spectrometry experience, Momentum is uniquely positioned to deliver rapid, reliable answers to a wide range of pressing research questions. For more information, please visit www.momentum.bio.

About OmicScouts
OmicScouts is a proteomics company focused on supporting drug and biomarker discovery through unique expertise and innovative technologies. By providing and developing system-wide assays to monitor protein activity and function in a physiological context, OmicScouts enables the identification of small molecule drug targets, target engagement markers, molecular mechanisms of action, and drug response biomarkers. OmicScouts supports a wide variety of drug and biomarker discovery projects with end-to-end solutions tailored to project-specific needs, and the team has a strong track record of successful collaborations with top pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. To learn more, visit www.omicscouts.com.

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SOURCE Momentum Biotechnologies