GlaxoSmithKline Boosts Global Cancer Testing With GE Healthcare Deal

The new agreement between GE Healthcare-subsidiary Clarient (Aliso Viejo, CA, USA) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK; Brentford, UK) will create a force in cancer testing, according to Kalorama Information (New York City, NY, USA).

The two entities will form a multipurpose, data analytics- and companion diagnostics (CDx)-driven network of laboratories. Kalorama recently released its report "Companion Diagnostics Market" on drug-test combinations such as those envisioned in this deal. “The trend in cancer testing is that companies, even large entities, can’t do it alone,” said Bruce Carlson, publisher of Kalorama Information, “This is one example of a partnership between a test manufacturer and a maker of biopharmaceuticals.”

While operational details of the agreement have yet to be provided, certain parameters already announcement highlight unique benefits of CDx partnerships. GE Healthcare, Clarient, and GSK will certify laboratories around the world to perform cancer diagnostic tests, with initial network labs expected in 2015. Clarient’s laboratory expertise includes immunohistochemistry (IHC), flow cytometery, qPCR, [fluorescent] in-situ hybridization ([F]ISH), cytogenetic karyotyping, microarrays, and next-generation sequencing (NGS). Testing will focus initially on 70 melanoma-specific mutations, including the CDx-targeted BRAF V600E and V600K genes.

Testing performed at networked labs will feed an associated data analytics service to be made available by GE Healthcare as a subscription. GSK will presumably be provided the same service to aid its biopharmaceutical development. The lab and data analytics service will be available to clients including pharmaceutical market participants, payers, and other healthcare organizations. Patient testing data can be used dynamically to improve patient care and personalized treatments, perform geospatial analysis, epidemiological analysis, and to recruit patients to oncology-related clinical trials.

Kalorama said that in this move GSK is competing with pharmaceutical-diagnostics leader Roche, which has already released a Zelboraf (vemurafenib) treatment pairing with BRAF V600 mutation, and has released Phase III trial data on adding cobimetinib, also for BRAF V600 mutation-positive melanoma patients. GSK has successfully developed products through IVD partnerships before: GSK and bioMérieux developed the THxID BRAF CDx qPCR test kit (FDA approved, May 2013) to identify melanoma patients with the BRAF V600E or V600K gene mutation and thus candidates for treatment with Tafinlar and Mekinist.

Kalorama’s report contains information on CDx drug-test combinations including market size and forecasts, key players and important trends.

Related Links:
Kalorama Information
Companion Diagnostics Market report
Clarient