NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Vermillion said today that it has obtained permits and completed regulatory processes required for opening a clinical reference laboratory.
In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said that the lab, Aspira Labs, "will offer tests related to gynecologic oncology and women’s health," including its OVA1 ovarian cancer test.
The lab will be led by Herbert Fritsche, formerly clinical chemistry section chief in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Since launching OVA1, Vermillion has relied on Quest Diagnostics to run the test, per the two companies' licensing agreement. With the launch of Aspira Labs, Vermillion will now be able to run the test in house.
As such, the move fits with Vermillion's recent efforts to end its OVA1 licensing agreement with Quest. Last August it sent the company a notice that it had terminated the agreement. Quest, however, has disputed the effectiveness of this termination.