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Trovagene Inks Cancer Biomarker Deal With AstraZeneca

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Trovagene announced today that it has signed an agreement to provide its Trovera urine-based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) biomarker test and related services to AstraZeneca for use in a biomarker study.

Under the terms of the deal, AstraZeneca will use Trovagene's Trovera EGFR urine liquid biopsy test in an open-label prospective biomarker study evaluating whether blood and urine testing in combination is as effective as tissue testing in identifying epidermal growth factor receptor T790M mutation status.

AstraZeneca recently received US Food and Drug Administration approval for Tagrisso (osimertinib) for the treatment of metastatic EGFR T790M mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer.

"We're pleased to partner with AstraZeneca and to have our urine liquid biopsy test included in a trial designed to explore new and non-invasive ways to detect if patients have this EGFR mutation and may be appropriate for specific treatment options," Trovagene CEO Bill Welch said in a statement. "This agreement marks a major milestone for Trovagene." 

Trovagene recently completed a reorganization effort to help refocus on liquid biopsy kits and systems following a ctDNA test development deal with Boreal Genomics. The company also announced earlier this year that it is expanding into precision cancer therapeutics.

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