NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Prometheus Laboratories and Tarrot Laboratories today announced an exclusive research collaboration and license agreement to identify biomarkers associated with clinical response to anti-TNF therapies in Crohn's disease.
The deal covers genetic and serologic biomarkers as predictors of response to drugs such as Cimzia (certolizumab pegol), Humira (adalimumab), and Remicade (infliximab). Diagnostic tests would be developed from the biomarkers.
Under the terms of the deal, the two firms will jointly fund and share technology for research and development, Prometheus said in a statement. Tarrot is eligible for milestone payments and royalties based on product revenues. Prometheus will receive IP rights and rights to any diagnostic tests that are jointly developed.
Tarrot is a business unit of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, which treats about 4,000 patients each year who have inflammatory bowel disease. Its access to the center is one of the firm's main assets that it brings to the collaboration, according to Tarrot CEO Richard Katzman.
"We believe our strong technical expertise in the areas of genetic testing, data analysis, and modeling will be utilized to create new discoveries in this area of pharmacogenomics," Katzman said.