NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – XDx said today that it has signed a pharmacogenomics pact with Bristol-Myers Squibb to identify biomarkers that would be used for diagnostic purposes in the development of a drug for systemic lupus erythematosus.
XDx is developing non-invasive, gene-expression tests for monitoring immune-mediated conditions. Bristol-Myers will make an upfront payment to XDx and additional milestone payments based on the achievement of specific R&D objectives. Brisbane, Calif.-based XDx also gets commercial rights to certain diagnostic applications that result from the collaboration.
The firms will be working on tests to monitor the effectiveness of Bristol-Myers’ rheumatoid arthritis drug abatacept (Orencia) in treating lupus.
Further terms of the collaboration were not disclosed.