AltheaDx to Offer the DxS K-RAS Test for Clinical Studies
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Manchester, UK 4 November 2008 - DxS Ltd, a personalised medicine company and leader in the provision of companion diagnostics, have today announced an agreement with US-based Oncology diagnostic and biopharmaceutical services company AltheaDx, Inc., which will provide US study centres with access to DxS’ K-RAS mutation detection assays.
The deal will see AltheaDx use DxS’s K-RAS Mutation Test Kit to support clinical research where cancer patients are assessed for their K-RAS mutation status.
Today’s deal builds on DxS’ continued expansion this year with the exclusive global distribution agreement with Roche earlier this year. The deal also builds on the AltheaDx biomarker development collaboration with BiPar Sciences and Poniard Pharmaceuticals, and reinforces the position of AltheaDx as the premier biopharma partner for signature discovery, and companion diagnostic development.
Commenting on the announcement, Dr. Stephen Little, CEO of DxS Ltd said: “The deal with AltheaDx, a leading provider of biopharma testing services and cancer diagnostics, confirms once again that the DxS K-RAS test is now the ‘gold standard’ assay of choice for detecting mutations in K-RAS. We look forward to working with AltheaDx and expanding our reach in the US clinical trial market.”
Commenting on the deal, David Macdonald, CEO of AltheaDx said: “Our agreement with DxS expands our capability to market leading technology in genetic cancer testing. The DxS kit will enable AltheaDx to offer KRAS analysis for future clinical trials, in order to further advance the developments that have seen patients being prescribed the appropriate targeted cancer based on their genetic profile”.
The DxS K-RAS Mutation Test kit allows clinicians to screen patients for mutations in the K-RAS gene which is mutated in approximately 35-45% of metastatic colorectal cancer, as well as a variety of other cancers. This year also saw further clinical data announced at the ASCO conference, which has led to a need for colorectal cancer patients to be screened for mutations in the K-RAS gene in order to identify the most appropriate treatment. Patients carrying mutations in the K-RAS gene do not respond to a class of drugs known as EGFR inhibitors – such as Vectibix® and Erbitux®.
