Waters Acquires Halo Labs to Enhance Biologic Therapy Analysis Capabilities
Key Insights
Waters Corporation (search) has acquired Halo Labs (search), gaining specialized imaging technology that detects particles in cell, protein, and gene therapies with capabilities beyond standard methods.
The Aura platform's subvisible particle technology provides critical insights for CAR T-cell (search) therapies by detecting translucent process impurities that conventional methods miss.
This strategic acquisition strengthens Waters' position in specialized analytical technologies for emerging biopharmaceuticals, particularly supporting quality control in advanced therapy development.
Waters Corporation (search) (NYSE:WAT) has acquired Halo Labs (search), a venture-backed scientific instrumentation company specializing in imaging technologies for particle analysis in therapeutic products. The acquisition, announced on May 21, 2025, strengthens Waters' capabilities in the rapidly growing field of biologic therapy analysis.
Halo Labs (search)' flagship Aura platform offers highly differentiated technology that performs full spectrum particle analysis, complementing Waters' existing light scattering detection solutions from its Wyatt Technology Portfolio. The technology is particularly valuable for detecting, identifying, and counting interfering materials in cell, protein, and gene therapies.
Advanced Capabilities for Next-Generation Therapies
A key advantage of Halo Labs (search)' technology is its ability to provide insights that standard analytical methods cannot deliver. The platform's subvisible particle technology can detect translucent process impurities used in CAR T-cell (search) therapy amplification that remain undetectable by conventional methods.
"Adding the innovative low-sample-volume, high-throughput technology from Halo Labs (search) provides analysis for a broad range of sample types and volumes, enabling earlier insights during therapy development and greater safety during manufacturing," said Dr. Udit Batra, President and Chief Executive Officer of Waters Corporation (search).
The acquisition comes at a strategic time as the biopharmaceutical industry experiences rapid growth in advanced therapies. Waters plans to integrate Halo Labs (search)' technology into new and existing large molecule development and quality assurance/quality control processes, accelerating the company's expansion into analytical and bioprocessing testing for large molecule therapies.
Enhancing Biopharmaceutical Quality Control
Halo Labs (search) has established itself as an innovator in high-throughput biopharmaceutical formulation, stability, and product quality control tools. The company's technology employs state-of-the-art custom optics and image processing techniques for aggregate and subvisible particle analysis.
Rick Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of Halo Labs (search), expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition: "We are thrilled to join forces with Waters, a company that shares our values of purposeful innovation and customer focus. This combination accelerates our vision to expand our platform's reach, enhancing therapeutic development and production while maintaining our unwavering commitment to drug quality and safety."
Strategic Fit and Financial Impact
The acquisition aligns with Waters' strategy to strengthen its leadership position in specialized analytical technologies for emerging biopharmaceutical therapies. By combining Halo Labs (search)' capabilities with its existing Wyatt Technology product lines, Waters aims to provide more comprehensive solutions to address the complex analytical challenges in developing and manufacturing advanced therapies.
Waters Corporation (search) stated that the acquisition is expected to have a negligible impact on the company's income statement over the following 12 months. However, the long-term strategic value lies in enhancing Waters' portfolio of analytical tools that support the development of next-generation therapies.
About the Companies
Waters Corporation (search), with over 65 years of experience, is a global leader in analytical instruments, separations technologies, and software serving the life, materials, food, and environmental sciences. The company employs approximately 7,600 people across more than 100 countries, collaborating with customers in laboratories, manufacturing sites, and hospitals.
Halo Labs (search) specializes in biopharmaceutical formulation, stability, and product quality control tools for aggregate and subvisible particle analysis. Biopharmaceutical companies worldwide rely on Halo Labs for insights into their drug products, particularly for advanced therapies where particle analysis is critical for safety and efficacy.