NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Empire Genomics said today that it has acquired the exclusive license to a genomic biomarker from Emory University for the development of a molecular diagnostic test for determining which therapies may be most suitable for specific patients with multiple myeloma.
A phase II biomarker-driven clinical trial is being conducted using the technology to validate its ability to predict outcomes of new generations of drugs for the blood cell cancer, Empire Genomics said.
The Buffalo, NY-based firm is commercializing the test, and plans to use the biomarker in lymphoma patients as part of its effort to support and accelerate clinical trials and create cancer companion diagnostics. It anticipates launching the test through clinical laboratories in early 2013.
"Developing a clinically validated multiple myeloma cancer theranostic assay with informative data will represent a major breakthrough in improving disease management," Leon Bernal-Mizrachi, an assistant professor of hematology and medical oncology at the Emory University School of Medicine, said in a statement. "It would fulfill an unmet medical need to help patients with multiple myeloma better plan treatment options that will help produce the best outcomes."