NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Castle Biosciences said yesterday that it has licensed exclusive worldwide rights to intellectual property covering a gene expression profiling test for thymoma, rare tumors derived from the epithelial cells of the thymus gland.
The firm licensed the IP from Indiana University Research and Technology Corp., a non-profit tech transfer group associated with the university. The gene signature underlying Castle Biosciences' DecisionDx-Thymoma test was discovered by Indiana University researchers.
Friendswood, Texas-based Castle Biosciences said the test has shown that it can accurately predict metastatic risk in patients with thymoma and can accurately confirm the stage of disease at diagnosis. The firm is working with Indiana University to complete clinical validation of an independent test set and aims to have the test clinically available by the end of this quarter.
"The ability to accurately assess metastatic risk based upon the thymoma's molecular signature will enable personalizing therapeutic options and assist in deciding which patients should receive post-operative therapy," Patrick Loehrer, director of the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center in Indianapolis, said in a statement.
Financial and other terms of the license were not disclosed.