Abbott has announced a $23B deal to acquire Exact Sciences, maker of the leading at-home colorectal cancer test used more than 16 million times since launch. Analysts are calling it one of the boldest medtech moves of the decade—a direct bet on the future of cancer diagnostics.
Why this matters:
• Abbott is doubling its diagnostics market opportunity, from $60B to $120B
• Cologuard’s growth could accelerate dramatically through international expansion
• Exact’s pipeline (MRD, liquid biopsies, genomic profiling) gives Abbott a foothold across diagnosis → treatment selection → recurrence monitoring
Some experts see a smart offensive play. Others question whether Cologuard can hold its lead as blood-based screening heats up.