Alere
Alere was a Waltham, MA-based point-of-care diagnostics company that developed rapid tests for infectious disease, cardiology, toxicology, and home patient monitoring, built largely through serial acquisitions, and was acquired by Abbott in 2017, after which it ceased to operate as an independent entity.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersWaltham, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Alere does
Alere was a Waltham, Massachusetts-based for-profit point-of-care diagnostics and health management company that developed rapid testing products targeting infectious disease, cardiology/heart disease, oncology, and toxicology, including screening and monitoring for substance abuse. The company's core technology stack centered on rapid in-vitro diagnostic platforms — lateral flow immunoassays, blood gas and electrolyte analysis (acquired via Epocal), lipid and glucose testing (Cholestech LDX), and isothermal nucleic acid amplification (acquired via TwistDx in 2010 for up to $125 million). It also operated a direct-to-patient home monitoring business through Alere Home Monitoring Inc. and a workplace/occupational health franchise built around the eScreen and Arriva Medical acquisitions.
The business model combined product sales of regulated diagnostic devices and consumables (cartridges, strips, reagents) with recurring monitoring service revenue from the home monitoring subsidiary. Distribution was multi-channel: hospital and clinical POC sales, employer/occupational health channels, and home delivery. The company scaled aggressively through serial M&A — at least 14 disclosed acquisitions between 2001 and 2013, including Unipath (2001, $150M), Cholestech (2007, $326.3M), Redwood Toxicology (2007, $99M), Biosite (2007), and TwistDx (2010, up to $125M) — supplemented by debt and equity raises of $100M (2009) and $400M (2010).
Alere is now delisted from NYSE and no longer operates as an independent company. Abbott completed its acquisition of Alere in August 2017, and the diagnostic product portfolio was absorbed into Abbott's Rapid Diagnostics / Point of Care franchise. A 2026 Massachusetts Superior Court summary judgment in the TwistDx earnout dispute is the most recent legal event on record involving the Alere entity, and the input data does not specify any current independent operations, management, or revenue stream.
Alere firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Alere
- Legal name
- Alere, Inc.
- Website
- http://www.alere.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Alere was a Waltham, MA-based point-of-care diagnostics company that developed rapid tests for infectious disease, cardiology, toxicology, and home patient monitoring, built largely through serial acquisitions, and was acquired by Abbott in 2017, after which it ceased to operate as an independent entity.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Alere industry classification
Industry- Product category
- In-Vitro Diagnostics
- NAICS
- Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (62151), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)
- SIC
- In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microbiology & Infectious Disease Diagnostics (Culture/ID/AST) (HLAHAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Microbiology & Infectious Disease Diagnostics (culture, rapid antigen, syndromic panels) (HLAAALAC), Hemodynamic Monitoring & Cardiac Diagnostics (Cath Lab, FFR/IVUS/OCT) (HLAHAFAI), Infectious Disease & Antimicrobials Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAG)
Keywords
Where Alere is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Waltham
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Alere business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Alere product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Alere provided point-of-care diagnostics and health management solutions focused on infectious diseases, heart disease, cancer-related conditions, and toxicology/drug-of-abuse screening. The company built its portfolio of rapid diagnostic products both organically and through targeted acquisitions such as TwistDx (rapid nucleic acid amplification), Cholestech (lipid and glucose testing), Biosite, and Redwood Toxicology Laboratory.
Product overview
Alere was a point-of-care diagnostics company that expanded its portfolio through strategic acquisitions. The primary acquisition on record is TwistDx, a biotechnology company acquired in 2010 for up to $125 million in contingent consideration, which provided Alere access to isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology for rapid diagnostic applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- TwistDx rapid diagnostics Biotechnology-based rapid diagnostic test platform using isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology, acquired by Alere in 2010 and used for point-of-care molecular diagnostic applications.
- Cholestech LDX System Point-of-care analyzer for lipid profile and glucose testing using a fingerstick whole blood sample, providing immediate actionable results, acquired by Alere in 2007.
- Redwood Toxicology Laboratory toxicology screening Drug-of-abuse and toxicology screening services and products acquired by Alere in 2007, supporting workplace, clinical, and occupational health toxicology programs.
Companies that use Alere
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
Alere technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Alere partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- TwistDxcoreAlere acquired TwistDx, a biotechnology company, in 2010 for up to $125 million in contingent consideration. TwistDx specialized in rapid diagnostic technologies. The acquisition was part of Alere's strategy to expand its diagnostic product portfolio.
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Alere competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Siemens Healthineers: Siemens Healthineers offers clinical chemistry, immunoassay, POC, and laboratory diagnostics (including cardiac markers) that overlap with Alere's diagnostics portfolio, particularly through its Atellica and epoc platforms.
- Danaher (Beckman Coulter, Cepheid, Leica): Danaher owns Beckman Coulter, Cepheid (GeneXpert), and Leica Biosystems. Cepheid is a direct peer in rapid molecular diagnostics; broader Danaher portfolio overlaps with Alere across clinical chemistry, microbiology, and molecular.
- Roche Diagnostics: Roche Diagnostics is the largest global IVD player with overlapping POC, cardiac (Troponin), and infectious disease franchises. Broad incumbent competing with Alere across multiple diagnostic segments.
- Becton, Dickinson and Company: BD is a major IVD and life sciences company with overlapping rapid diagnostic, microbiology, and point-of-care testing portfolios (e.g., BD Veritor). Direct broad incumbent competing across Alere's core POC categories.
- Abbott Diagnostics: Abbott acquired Alere in 2017 and now operates the rapid diagnostics platform (ID NOW, BinaxNOW, i-STAT). Direct parent and broadest incumbent across POC, central lab, and molecular diagnostics globally.
Direct peers
- Hologic: Hologic's Panther molecular diagnostics platform and rapid test franchise (e.g., Aptima, Binax NOW legacy) compete directly with Alere's molecular and rapid infectious disease testing offerings.
- Qiagen: Qiagen provides sample-prep and molecular diagnostic technologies, including partnerships in rapid POC molecular testing. Compares to Alere's TwistDx-derived isothermal nucleic acid amplification capability.
- QuidelOrtho: QuidelOrtho is a direct peer in rapid immunoassay and molecular diagnostics (e.g., Sofia, Savanna), with overlapping infectious disease and POC testing franchises comparable to Alere's BinaxNOW and ID NOW platforms.
- bioMérieux: French in vitro diagnostics company focused on microbiology and infectious disease diagnostics, including rapid and culture-based identification/AST. Directly comparable to Alere's infectious disease testing portfolio.
Others
- Cholestech (acquired by Alere, now Abbott): Cholestech was acquired by Alere in 2007 for $326.3M and provides the LDX lipid and glucose POC platform now part of Abbott's portfolio. Useful historic comparable for Alere's cardiology/POC franchise.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Alere social profiles
Digital presenceAlere financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Alere leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Alere subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Alere funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Alere M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A13 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Alere
What does Alere do?
Alere provided point-of-care diagnostics and health management solutions focused on infectious diseases, heart disease, cancer-related conditions, and toxicology/drug-of-abuse screening. The company built its portfolio of rapid diagnostic products both organically and through targeted acquisitions such as TwistDx (rapid nucleic acid amplification), Cholestech (lipid and glucose testing), Biosite, and Redwood Toxicology Laboratory.
When was Alere founded?
Alere was founded in 1981. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Alere based?
Alere is headquartered in Waltham, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Alere's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Siemens Healthineers, Danaher (Beckman Coulter, Cepheid, Leica), Roche Diagnostics, Becton, Dickinson and Company and Abbott Diagnostics. Direct peers are Hologic, Qiagen, QuidelOrtho and bioMérieux. Cholestech (acquired by Alere, now Abbott) is listed as an others.
Does Alere have an API?
No public API is recorded for Alere.
What industry is Alere in?
Alere's product category is In-Vitro Diagnostics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAHAAAC, Microbiology & Infectious Disease Diagnostics (Culture/ID/AST), with a secondary code of HLAAALAC, Microbiology & Infectious Disease Diagnostics (culture, rapid antigen, syndromic panels). Its NAICS code is 62151 and its SIC code is 2835.