Oxford Immunotec and Lophius Biosciences to Share Intellectual Property

Oxford Immunotec (Oxford, UK) a medical diagnostic company developing tests in the fields of infectious and immunological disease and Lophius Biosciences (Regensburg, Germany), a leader in the field of novel T-cell based diagnostic test systems, announced that the companies have signed agreements under which both will have access to certain intellectual property from the other party. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Oxford Immunotec will be able to develop and commercialize novel T-cell based assays using Lophius´ proprietary UREA technology in certain territories. Lophius Biosciences will be able to develop and commercialize novel T-cell based assays under a license to Oxford Immunotec's proprietary T-SPOT technology.

Dr. Peter Wrighton-Smith, CEO, Oxford Immunotec commented: “We believe that Lophius’s UREA technology has distinct advantages over conventional methods of designing and producing antigens for T-cell based diagnostic test systems. We are looking forward to combining Lophius’s technology with our own, to develop and launch innovative new assays for infectious and immunological disease.”

Dr. Michael Lutz, Managing Director of Lophius Biosciences said, “We are very pleased with this partnership with Oxford Immunotec, a leading company in the development of T-cell based assays, which provides us access to the T-SPOT technology. This cooperation also confirms the commercial potential of our proprietary UREA technology platform which led to recent successful development of two CE-marked tests, namely T-Track CMV and T-Track EBV.”

Oxford Immunotec’s primary product, the T-SPOT.TB test, is one of two Interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) which detect latent TB infection and are replacing the 90-year old tuberculin skin test currently used for this purpose. The World Health Organization estimated in 2006 that 50 million latent TB screening tests were performed each year, representing a greater than USD 1 billion per annum market opportunity for TB testing globally. IGRAs are now endorsed in clinical guidelines in over 20 countries and the T-SPOT.TB test has now received regulatory approval in over 40 countries worldwide, including the US, Europe, and China. In the US, the T-SPOT.TB test has its own CPT code (86481) with CMS reimbursement of approximately USD 103 per test. The T-SPOT.TB test is also covered in various other clinical lab fee schedules around the world.

As well as developing and selling tests in kit form, Oxford Immunotec also runs a testing laboratory business in both the US and the UK (Oxford Diagnostic Laboratories) designed to provide expertise, service, turnaround time, and simplicity for physicians wanting to access immunological tests such as the T-SPOT.TB test.

Related Links:
Oxford Immunotec
Lophius Biosciences