Biotech drugmaker Amgen and Illumina, a maker of genetic testing equipment, said they are developing a test that will identify patients who might be helped by Amgen’s colon cancer drug Vectibix.

 

Vectibix is approved as a treatment for colorectal cancer that has spread and hasn’t responded to chemotherapy. It’s intended for patients who tend to have a less aggressive form of the cancer: the drug is not indicated for those with a genetic mutation that is associated with more aggressive cancers and lower survival rates. Amgen and Illumina want to develop a test that will determine whether patients have that mutation.

 

The companies said the test will run on Illumina’s MiSeqDx sequencing system. Financial terms of their partnership weren’t disclosed.

 

Source: Associated Press

Date: January 15, 2014