NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Foundation Medicine said after the close of the market on Monday that it has extended and expanded an agreement with Novartis to provide molecular information and genomic profiling analysis in support of the drug manufacturer's clinical oncology programs.
The new three-year agreement builds upon the original deal between the two firms forged in 2011 and expanded in 2012. As a result of the extension, Foundation and Novartis will continue their collaboration through at least September 2016.
The expanded agreement includes committed capacity for Foundation to provide genomic profiling of patient samples from Novartis' clinical oncology trials. Novartis will have access to Foundation's molecular information and analysis services in return. It also has an option to extend the deal for an additional two-year period.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Since the start of the collaboration in 2011, Foundation's genomic profiling service has generated clinically relevant data and is now used in many of Novartis' oncology clinical trials, Foundation said.
"In addition to providing comprehensive genomic profiling for patients in Novartis clinical trials, this expanded agreement will allow Novartis to take advantage of our unique and growing database of molecular information to support the evaluation and development of Novartis' oncology drug candidates, biological targets, and clinical trials," Foundation President and CEO Michael Pellini said in a statement.