Lab testing giant LabCorp, which is based in Burlington, is acquiring Raleigh-based LipoScience in a deal worth some $85 million in cash. Shares in LipoScience, which provides testing services related to cardiovascular and metabolism disorders, skyrocketed some 60 percent on the news.

The news sent LipoScience shares soaring as soon as Wall Street opened.

Shares jumped more than $2 to a 52-week high of $5.22 from Wednesday’s closing. LabCorp will pay LipoScience shareholders $5.25 in cash, according to the deal announcement.

Laboratory Corporation of America (NYSE: LH) and LipoScience (Nasdaq: LPDX) announced the deal early Thursday.

“We are very pleased that LipoScience, a premier laboratory focused on personalized diagnostics for cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, is joining the LabCorp family,” said David King, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of LabCorp, in a statement. “LipoScience’s NMR LipoProfile test will enhance our innovative clinical decision support programs, advancing the Fifth Pillar of our strategy as we provide ever-broader, differentiated knowledge services to physicians and patients.

“Furthermore, LipoScience’s novel application of NMR technology furthers the Fourth Pillar of our strategy by continuing our leadership in scientific innovation. In addition to LipoScience’s strategic fit, the transaction is expected to be accretive to LabCorp’s earnings in year one, and to earn its cost of capital by year three.”

NMR refers to proprietary nuclear magnetic resonance technology developed by LipoScience. The “pillars” are part of LabCorp’s business strategy.

The LipoScience board has already approved the deal.

“We believe LipoScience becoming part of LabCorp is a great outcome for patients, physicians, and our other stakeholders,” said Howard Doran, LipoScience’s chief executive officer. “The NMR LipoProfile test is the only FDA-cleared test for measuring LDL-particle number (LDL-P) that offers actionable information for physicians and patients in the management of cardiovascular disease. We want to thank our employees for their hard work and dedication in making our differentiated test available to thousands of patients each day.”

LDL refers to low-density lipoprotein, the so-called “bad cholesterol.”

LipoScience derived its corporate name from LDL.

The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter.

LipoScience went public in 2013.