Roche's Infectious Disease Portfolio To Include HCV Immunodiagnostics

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections frequently result in chronic liver disease. They represent a major cause of death through the development of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. HCV antibody tests are used for the primary diagnosis of HCV virus infection in patients with suspected liver disease. Positive anti-HCV results indicate the need for further investigation such as nucleic acid testing for viral RNA. Prognosis of HCV infection can be improved by anti-viral treatment, specifically interferon, and can be monitored using diagnostic tests.

Roche (Basel, Switzerland) announced licensing and settlement agreements with Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. (Raritan, NJ, USA) and Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics (Frimley/Camberley, UK) in the field of HCV diagnostics. Under the terms of the licensing agreement Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. and Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics granted Roche Diagnostics a worldwide royalty-bearing license under their broad patent portfolio for HCV in the field of immunodiagnostics. The agreement also includes cross licensing of patents owned by Roche Diagnostics. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The licensing agreement for HCV immunoassays will enable Roche Professional Diagnostics to expand its comprehensive product range in infectious diseases and to become a major player in this field, having already achieved a leading position in nucleic acid testing for hepatitis and retroviruses.

"We are pleased to have reached an agreement that provides Roche Diagnostics worldwide access to HCV immunoassays. This agreement will strengthen Roche's position in infectious disease diagnostics and will drive further growth of our immunoassay business worldwide,” commented Dirk Ehlers, head of Roche Professional Diagnostics.

Roche is a world leader in in-vitro diagnostics and drugs for cancer and transplantation, a market leader in virology, and active in other therapeutic areas such as autoimmune diseases, inflammation, metabolic disorders, and diseases of the central nervous system (CNS).


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