Roche on Tuesday got the go-ahead from the US authorities for its chip-based diagnostics technology, in a breakthrough that could open the door to a market worth up to $10bn-$12bn (€7.6bn-€9.1bn) a year.

Heino von Prondzynski, head of Roche's diagnostics division, said the new AmpliChip technology was a harbinger of a revolution in medicine “that would really save lives”.