Qiagen Partners with Max Planck on TB Test
Qiagen formed an alliance with the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology's (MPIIB) department of immunology to develop a molecular diagnostic test for tuberculosis (TB). The test will assess the risk of an individual with latent TB developing active TB disease during his or her lifetime. The polymerase chain reaction-based test will target multiple biomarkers. The deal calls for Qiagen to design and manufacture the assay and MPIIB to provide access to its marker sets and develop new biosignatures. "We believe that the combination of ‘pre-molecular' and DNA- and RNA-based molecular testing technologies is the next-generation solution for screening and identifying infected individuals before they develop active TB disease," said James Rothel, vice president and head of scientific affairs at Qiagen.
Dako and Amgen Join Forces to Develop Personalized Cancer Dx
Dako joined forces with Amgen to develop a diagnostic test for a drug candidate for treating a rare and deadly form of cancer, the specific type of which the partners did not specify. "Our agreement with Amgen is one of several partnerships that Dako has entered to enable the development of diagnostic tests to predict which patients are most likely to respond to specific treatments," said Lars Holmkvist, chief executive officer of Dako.
TrovaGene Acquires CLIA Lab
TrovaGene finalized a definitive deal to acquire the clinical lab assets of MultiGen Diagnostics, a privately held molecular diagnostic subsidiary of Bio-ID Diagnostics. "We are looking forward to grow MultiGen's existing, multiplexed-sequencing based diagnostic testing business for a variety of infectious diseases," said Antonius Schuh, chief executive officer of TrovaGene. The company hopes to configure the existing MultiGen tests on its trans-renal platform and plans to use MultiGen's CLIA laboratory operations as a development and commercial platform for novel tests designed to detect minimal residual disease in oncology.
Ventana Forges Deal with Syndax to Develop Test for NSCLC
Ventana Medical Systems signed an agreement with Syndax Pharmaceuticals to develop a companion diagnostic test to select patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The deal calls for Ventana to provide the assay for use in selecting patients for a clinical study of Syndax's lead molecule, entinostat, in combination with erlotinib (Tarceva), a drug currently marketed for NSCLC. "The plan to develop a companion diagnostic for entinostat shows that our companies are aligned in their commitment to advancing personalized healthcare to improve the lives of patients afflicted with cancer," said Ventana's president, Mara G. Aspinall.