BD Biosciences

What BD Biosciences does

BD Biosciences is a global life sciences tools business specializing in flow cytometry instruments, reagents, software, and services for single-cell analysis across research, pharmaceutical, and clinical diagnostics markets. The product portfolio spans high-parameter cell analyzers (BD FACSymphony A5, up to 50 parameters and 9 lasers), benchtop analyzers (BD LSRFortessa X-20), automated cell sorters (BD FACSMelody, BD FACSDiscover S8), clinical-grade cytometers (BD FACSLyric), and single-cell multiomics systems (BD Rhapsody family). Proprietary technology platforms include BD SpectralFX spectral flow cytometry, BD CellView Image Technology, BD Horizon Brilliant and Real Dyes, and the BD Rhapsody single-cell multiomics platform enabling transcriptomic, proteomic, and epigenomic profiling from individual cells. Software offerings (BD FACSDiva, BD FACSChorus, FlowJo, BD Research Cloud, Infinicyt, SeqGeq) and BD FACSUniversity training programs complete the integrated ecosystem.

The business operates a razor-and-blade model with capital instrument sales complemented by an estimated 80% recurring revenue base from reagents, consumables, software licenses, and services. Pricing is quote-based for capital equipment with no public list pricing, and distribution relies on a global direct enterprise field sales force with technical specialists targeting academic institutions, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and clinical diagnostics laboratories. The company serves primary verticals including academic and translational research (immunophenotyping, biomarker analysis, cancer/stem cell research), pharmaceutical and biotechnology (drug discovery, companion diagnostics, GMP QC), and clinical diagnostics (IVD-compliant assays, patient monitoring).

In February 2026, BD Biosciences was acquired by Waters Corporation through a Reverse Morris Trust transaction valued at approximately $17.5 billion, combining the business with BD's Diagnostic Solutions unit into a reorganized Waters Corporation with four divisions. The combined entity reported approximately $6.4 billion in 2025 revenue, with Waters targeting approximately 7% revenue CAGR, ~500 basis points of margin expansion, and $200M+ in cost synergies over the next five years. BD Biosciences now operates as Waters Biosciences, with operations continuing across its existing Franklin Lakes, NJ headquarters and Milpitas, CA training center, and a 10,000+ employee workforce.

Name

BD Biosciences

Legal name

Becton, Dickinson and Company

Website

https://bdbiosciences.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1897

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

BD Biosciences is a global flow cytometry tools business providing high-parameter cell analyzers, sorters, single-cell multiomics platforms, reagents, and software for academic, pharmaceutical, and clinical diagnostics customers. Now operating as Waters Biosciences following its 2026 acquisition by Waters Corporation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Flow Cytometry Instruments and Reagents

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Biomarker Laboratory Services (Immunoassays/Flow/Cytometry) (HLAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

IVD Reagents, Assay Kits & Consumables (Non-instrument) (HLAHAAAM), Biomarker Assay & Reagent Development (LDT/IVD assay design, antibodies/standards/controls) (HLAAAMAL)

Keywords

• Flow cytometry instruments
• Cell sorting systems
• Single-cell multiomics
• Flow cytometry reagents
• Clinical flow cytometry

Headquarters

HQ city

Franklin Lakes

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Instrument Sales: Sale of flow cytometry instruments including cell analyzers and cell sorters. These are capital equipment purchases with typically long sales cycles and high average order values. The acquisition by Waters Corporation valued the business at approximately $17.5 billion.
2. Reagents and Consumables: Recurring revenue from flow cytometry reagents, antibodies, dyes, buffers, and consumables. Approximately 80% recurring revenue indicates strong consumables revenue base.
3. Software Licenses and Services: Software products including FlowJo™ v10, BD FACSDiva™ Software, BD FACSChorus™ Software with associated maintenance and support services.
4. Training and Support Services: Product training services including operator training, advanced sorting training, and technical support provided through BD FACSUniversity learning portal and BD Training Center.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

BD Biosciences designs, manufactures, and sells flow cytometry instruments (research and clinical cell analyzers, cell sorters, and the BD Rhapsody single-cell multiomics systems), an extensive reagent portfolio (antibodies, dyes, buffers, kits, immunoassays), and complementary acquisition and analysis software (BD FACSDiva, BD FACSChorus, FlowJo, BD Research Cloud). Revenue is generated from capital instrument sales plus a large recurring base of reagents, consumables, software, and training services supporting research, pharmaceutical, and clinical diagnostics customers globally.

Product overview

BD Biosciences offers a comprehensive portfolio of flow cytometry instruments, reagents, software, and services for cellular analysis in research and clinical diagnostics. The product ecosystem centers on multiple instrument families including the BD FACSymphony high-parameter analyzers (up to 50 parameters), BD LSRFortessa benchtop cytometers (up to 20 parameters), BD FACSMelody automated cell sorters, BD FACSDiscover spectral imaging sorters, BD FACSLyric clinical systems, and BD Rhapsody single-cell multiomics platforms. These instruments are powered by complementary reagent lines (BD Horizon Brilliant Dyes, BD Horizon Real Dyes, BD OMICS-One panels and assays), supported by software solutions (BD FACSDiva, BD FACSChorus, FlowJo, BD Research Cloud), and enhanced by BD CellView Image Technology and BD SpectralFX Technology. BD Biosciences also provides extensive sample preparation reagents (Accutase, Pre-Sort Buffer, Phosflow buffers), assay kits (Cytometric Bead Array, Stemflow kits), and educational resources including product training, spectrum analysis tools, and protocol libraries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BD FACSymphony A5 Cell Analyzer High-parameter research cell analyzer capable of simultaneous detection of up to 50 parameters using up to 9 lasers, designed for deep immunophenotyping and high-dimensional cellular analysis by academic and translational research teams.
• BD LSRFortessa X-20 Cell Analyzer Benchtop flow cytometer configurable with up to 5 lasers for detection of up to 20 parameters, designed for core laboratory dependability and multicolor flow cytometry applications.
• BD FACSMelody Cell Sorter Automated 4-way cell sorter combining automated workflow with BD FACSChorus Software for simplified sorting, featuring fixed alignment and minimal maintenance requirements, used by research and clinical laboratories.
• BD FACSLyric Flow Cytometer Clinical-grade flow cytometer with integrated sample preparation capabilities, designed for standardized clinical diagnostics workflows in hospital and clinical reference laboratories.
• BD FACSDiscover S8 Cell Sorter Image-enabled spectral cell sorter combining BD CellView Image Technology and BD SpectralFX Technology to derive greater insights from sorted cells through combined imaging and spectral analysis.
• BD Rhapsody Express Single-Cell Analysis System Single-cell multiomics platform for high-throughput analysis of gene expression and protein markers from individual cells using BD's bead-based capture technology.
• BD Rhapsody Scanner Single-cell imaging system for visualizing and analyzing cell populations captured on BD Rhapsody cards, enabling multiomic profiling of individual cells.
• BD FACSDiscover A7 Cell Analyzer Spectral cell analyzer announced with built-in standardization capabilities for advanced spectral flow cytometry in research laboratories.
• BD Horizon Brilliant Dyes Polymer-based fluorescent dye technology including Brilliant Violet, Brilliant Blue, and other fluorochromes designed for bright, consistent multicolor flow cytometry staining.
• BD Horizon Real Dyes Novel fluorochrome technology including RealBlue and RealViolet dyes with narrow emission profiles for reduced spectral overlap and improved multicolor panel design.
• BD Horizon RealViolet 544 Reagents Narrow-emission violet laser dye reagent offering limited spillover, robust intracellular performance, and lot-to-lot consistency for multicolor flow cytometry panels.
• BD Horizon RealBlue and RealViolet Dyes (820+ nm) Extended-spectrum fluorochromes operating at 820+ nm wavelength, designed to reduce spectral overlap in multicolor flow cytometry panels.
• BD OMICS-One Protein Panels Targeted protein detection panels for the BD Rhapsody single-cell platform enabling simultaneous measurement of multiple protein markers per cell.
• BD OMICS-One WTA Next Assay Whole transcriptome analysis assay for BD Rhapsody systems providing comprehensive single-cell RNA sequencing capabilities with enhanced sensitivity for multiomics discovery research.
• BD AbSeq Assay Antibody-oligonucleotide conjugation technology enabling simultaneous detection of protein and RNA targets from single cells on the BD Rhapsody platform.
• BD Cytometric Bead Array Solution Multiplexed immunoassay platform using bead-based capture for simultaneous quantification of multiple soluble proteins from small sample volumes.
• BD Immunoassay ELISA Reagents ELISA-based immunoassay reagents for quantification of soluble analytes in research and clinical research applications.
• BD ELISPOT Reagents ELISPOT reagents for single-cell enumeration of cytokine-secreting cells, used in immunology and vaccine research.
• BD Rhapsody ATAC-Seq Assays Assay reagents for single-cell chromatin accessibility analysis on the BD Rhapsody platform enabling investigation of regulatory genomic elements from individual cells.
• BD Rhapsody TCR/BCR Next Multiomic Assays T-cell and B-cell receptor profiling assays for single-cell immune repertoire analysis, enabling paired V(D)J sequencing with gene expression from the same cell on the BD Rhapsody platform.
• BD Rhapsody Targeted mRNA Kits Targeted mRNA kits enabling focused, targeted gene expression analysis on the BD Rhapsody single-cell platform for translational and clinical research.
• BD OMICS-Guard CRYO Preservation Buffer Cryopreservation buffer for maintaining single-cell samples prior to processing on the BD Rhapsody platform.
• BD OMICS-Guard Sample Preservation Buffer Sample preservation technology for single-cell applications, enabling samples to be preserved and analyzed at a later time while maintaining cell integrity.
• BD Accutase Cell Detachment Solution Proteolytic and collagenolytic cell detachment solution for passaging cell lines while preserving cell surface antigens for flow cytometry and sorting applications.
• BD FACS Pre-Sort Buffer Specialized buffer for maintaining cell viability during flow cytometry sorting, formulated to minimize cell clumping and preserve cell function for downstream applications.
• BD Stemflow Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Kit Specialized reagent kit for identification, sorting, and analysis of human pluripotent stem cells using surface marker staining in flow cytometry workflows.
• BD Phosflow Perm Buffers Permeabilization buffer solutions (Perm Buffer I, II, III, and Perm/Wash Buffer) for intracellular staining of phosphorylated signaling proteins in flow cytometry.
• BD FACSDiva Software Instrument control and data acquisition software for BD FACS instrument families, providing setup, acquisition, and analysis capabilities across multiple platform types.
• BD FACSChorus Software Intuitive instrument control and workflow management software for BD FACSMelody Cell Sorter, with guided interface and automated compensation.
• BD FACSCanto Clinical Software Clinical application software supporting BD FACSCanto clinical flow cytometers used in diagnostic laboratory workflows.
• BD FACSuite Application Clinical software application for BD FACSLyric flow cytometer workflows, supporting standardized clinical diagnostics operations.
• FlowJo Software Advanced flow cytometry data analysis platform providing visualization tools including t-SNE, UMAP, OptSNE, TriMAP, and EmbedSOM for high-parameter data analysis.
• BD Research Cloud Cloud-based laboratory management and panel design platform enabling reagent selection, experiment design collaboration, and workflow optimization across research teams, with built-in AI for panel design guidance.
• BD Assurity Linc Software Connectivity software enabling data management and system integration between BD clinical cytometry instruments and laboratory information systems.
• BD FACS Workflow Manager Connectivity and workflow management software providing standardized workflow control across BD FACS instrument families in clinical and research settings.
• BD Rhapsody Sequence Analysis Pipeline Bioinformatics pipeline software for analyzing sequencing data generated from BD Rhapsody single-cell analysis systems.
• BD Cellismo Data Visualization Tool Data visualization tool for exploring and presenting flow cytometry datasets in research and clinical workflows.
• Infinicyt Software Advanced flow cytometry data analysis software supporting multidimensional data exploration, automatic population identification, and reporting.
• SeqGeq Software Bioinformatics software providing graphical single-cell genomics data analysis, visualization, and interpretation workflows.

Quantifiable outcome

• High-parameter analysis supporting up to 50 simultaneous parameters on BD FACSymphony A5
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability6 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative BiologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 January 2026BD Biosciences and CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology inaugurated a Center of Excellence (CoE) for single-cell multiomics. This strategic collaboration focuses on advanced genomics research and provides access to BD Rhapsody single-cell technology for researchers in India to conduct cutting-edge single-cell analysis studies.
• Baker CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBD partnered with The Baker Company to design a custom biosafety and sorting solution for the BD FACSMelody Cell Sorter. The SterilGARD e3 Optimax biosafety cabinet provides comprehensive biosafety protection verified to meet Class II Type A2 standards, protecting personnel and products during cell sorting activities.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Agilent Technologies: Broad life sciences tools incumbent with cell analysis (xCELLigence, Seahorse) and reagents offerings adjacent to BD's cellular analysis franchise. Comparable in serving pharma/biotech R&D customers with high-margin consumables.
• Sartorius: Bioprocessing and lab products incumbent serving similar pharma/biotech customers with cell line development and analytics tools. Overlaps with BD Biosciences in cell-based assays and downstream biopharma applications.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Broad life sciences incumbent with flow cytometry products (Attune, Bigfoot) plus the Invitrogen antibody/eBioscience reagent portfolio that competes directly with BD Horizon. Massive scale and breadth create competitive pressure across instruments, reagents, and software.

Emerging players

• NanoCellect Biomedical: Emerging player in microfluidic cell sorting (WOLF Cell Sorter) targeting single-cell genomics and clinical applications. Competes with BD's benchtop sorters in the lower-throughput, gentler-sort niche used by single-cell researchers.
• 10x Genomics: Direct competitor in single-cell multiomics via the Chromium platform. 10x is the market leader in single-cell RNA-seq and is expanding into multiomic and spatial workflows, head-to-head with BD Rhapsody for the same pharma/biotech research dollars.

Direct peers

• Beckman Coulter Life Sciences: Core flow cytometry competitor (CytoFLEX, Navios, MoFlo Astrios) now part of Danaher. Beckman Coulter directly overlaps with BD in cell analyzers and sorters, serving similar academic, pharma, and clinical diagnostics customers.
• Miltenyi Biotec: Direct peer in flow cytometry instruments (MACSQuant) and reagents, with strong presence in cell separation and immunology research. Comparable integrated reagent-and-instrument ecosystem targeting similar translational research and cell therapy customers.
• Sony Biotechnology: Competitor in flow cytometry (LE-MA9000 spectral cell sorter, SA3800) with a growing presence in spectral and high-parameter sorting, comparable to BD's spectral and image-enabled sorter portfolio.
• Bio-Rad Laboratories: Competitor in flow cytometry with the ZE5 and S3e cell sorter/sorter platforms, plus a complementary life science research reagents business. Targets similar academic and biopharma customers with overlapping instrument and reagent offerings.
• Cytek Biosciences: Direct competitor in spectral flow cytometry with the Aurora and Northern Lights cell analyzers. Cytek competes head-to-head with BD's FACSymphony and FACSDiscover lines, particularly in academic core labs, and has rapidly gained share with lower-priced spectral instruments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bdbiosciences
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@bdbio
• Facebookfacebook.com/bdbiosciences
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/showcase/bdbiosciences

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BD Biosciences