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Asuragen to Develop Trial Dx, Potential Theranostic, for Merck Cancer Program

Oct 23, 2007
NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) — Asuragen Pharmacogenomic Services, a division of Asuragen, will develop a biomarker and pharmacogenomic test for a Merck cancer program, Asuragen said today.
 
Terms of the deal call for Asuragen to apply information from an expression signature identified by Merck's oncology research program to develop a diagnostic assay for use in Merck's cancer clinical trials, and to “potentially form the basis for commercial companion diagnostic tests for oncology therapies.”
 
Under the agreement, Merck will pay Asuragen an undisclosed sum and could pay additional fees depending on the transfer of the diagnostic to clinical reference labs.
 
Asuragen said the test should be completed in 2008.

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