Lab equipment maker Waters Corp on Monday said it will buy a bioscience and diagnostics unit spun off from medtech provider Becton Dickinson in a stock-and-cash transaction valued at $17.5 billion, expanding its scale in clinical and diagnostic applications.

Milford-based biotech company Waters Corp. will merge with Becton, Dickinson and Co.’s biosciences an diagnostic solutions unit in a $17.5 billion deal.

Becton Dickinson’s plan to focus on medical technology advanced further after reaching a deal to divest its biosciences and diagnostic solutions business to Waters Corp. for around $17.5 billion.