NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Horizon Diagnostics will provide genetically defined human cell line reference standards for distribution to molecular diagnostic laboratories worldwide under a deal with the European Molecular Genetics Quality Network (EMQN) announced today.
The cell line references will be distributed as part of EMQN's annual external quality assessment schemes to ensure sensitivity and reproducibility of diagnostic assays.
Horizon Diagnostics, a division of Horizon Discovery, will provide materials that contain known frequencies of mutations that currently guide the prescription of oncology therapies, particularly for melanoma, colon cancer, and lung cancer. Horizon will distribute the materials to participants of EMQN's proficiency testing schemes.
"Quality assurance schemes such as those organized by EMQN are essential to ensure that patients receive the correct treatment regimen based on their tumor mutation status," Paul Morrill, commercial director for Horizon Discovery, said in a statement. "Horizon’s technology offers pathologists and biologists an unprecedented level of control, and a resource for benchmarking the performance of assays against validated empirical reference standards. This is an invaluable component of patient care."
Financial and other terms of the deal were not disclosed.