Ventana Medical Systems (Ventana), a member of the Roche Group, has signed a collaboration agreement with a German pharmaceutical group Boehringer Ingelheim to develop companion diagnostic tests for Boehringer’s oncology programmes.
Companion diagnostics are assays or tests that are intended to assist physicians in making treatment decisions for their patients based on the best response to therapy.
Under the agreement, Ventana will provide access to its immunohistochemistry technology platform, experience and expertise in developing companion diagnostics and premarket approval (PMA) submissions to Boehringer Ingelheim.
Boehringer Ingelheim will utilise Ventana’s strengths in pursuing its personalised medicine healthcare strategies for cancer drug development.
Ventana Medical Systems Mara G Aspinall said: "We are pleased that our commitment to enable personalised healthcare for patients worldwide was recognised by Boehringer Ingelheim when they selected Ventana to be a companion diagnostics development partner for their oncology programmes."
Boehringer Ingelheim is aiming to develop cancer treatments with optimised benefit risk profiles by integrating the development of companion diagnostic kits and drug candidates.
Boehringer Ingelheim medicine corporate senior vice-president Klaus Dugi said: "We look forward to partnering with Ventana and accessing their significant capabilities and expertise in developing companion diagnostics that will complement our products to further advance the delivery of personalised healthcare solutions for patients."
In addition to Boehringer Ingelheim, Ventana is currently engaged in more than 150 collaborative projects to develop and commercialise companion diagnostics globally.
According to GlobalData estimates, tumour markers market in the US was valued at $489m in 2012 is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.6% to reach $765m by 2019.
Image: Ventana Medical Systems, Tucson, Arizona, US. Photo: courtesy of PR Newswire.
