Date: 2016-04-14
Type of information: Development agreement
Compound: companion diagnostic assays including companion diagnostic assay for seribantumab, or MM-121
Company: Merrimack Pharmaceuticals (USA - MA) Leica Biosystems (Germany)
Therapeutic area: Cancer - Oncology - Diagnostic
Type agreement: development
Action mechanism: companion diagnostic.
Disease:
Details: * On April 14, 2016, Leica Biosystems and Merrimack Pharmaceuticals announced a strategic partnership to develop companion diagnostic assays to aid in identification of patients who might best respond to current and future oncology therapies developed by Merrimack. The assays will be designed using Advanced Cell Diagnostics' (ACD's) RNAscope technology and will be processed on Leica Biosystems' BOND clinical advanced staining systems. The initial focus of this partnership will be the development of a companion diagnostic assay for Merrimack's seribantumab, or MM-121. This monoclonal antibody targets ErbB3, a cell surface receptor that is activated by the ligand heregulin. Heregulin-driven ErbB3 signaling identifies a unique, more difficult to treat cancer phenotype characterized by increased tumor growth and increased resistance to targeted, cytotoxic and anti-endocrine therapies. Seribantumab is being investigated primarily in combination settings, to block HRG activated ErbB3 signaling in order to enhance the anti-tumor effect of the combination therapy partner. Leica Biosystems' work program will be led from their Companion Diagnostics Research and Development site in Danvers , Greater Boston, Massachusetts , with kit manufacturing occurring in Newcastle.
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