NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Metabolon today announced a partnership with Spanish biomedical firm Metdia Biotech to commercialize the Quantose IR and Quantose IGT prediabetes tests in 14 European countries.
The two Metabolon tests are for assessing the risk of a patient developing prediabetes and/or type 2 diabetes. They also are for monitoring, and with appropriate intervention, preventing the two ailments. Metdia will market them to hospitals and clinical laboratories in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Austria.
Earlier this year, Metabolon announced collaborations and licensing agreements covering the Quantose IR test in Mexico and Latin America. Metabolon President and CEO John Ryals said in a statement that the partnership with Metdia represents "an important next step" in expanding access to the Quantose technology beyond the US.
Quantose IR is a laboratory-developed test for evaluating insulin resistance. The blood-based test uses insulin and three non-glycemic biomarkers to assess the risk of a patient progressing to prediabetes. It does so at an earlier phase than traditional glycemic measures, such as hemoglobin A1c, Metabolon said.
Quantose IGT is for assessing impaired glucose tolerance and may be used as an alternative to an oral glucose tolerance test to identify patients who may be candidates for such a test.
Financial and other terms of the agreement with Metdia were not disclosed.