NEW YORK (360Dx) — Belgian diagnostics firm VolitionRx announced today that it is planning a partnership with Shanghai Fosun Long March Medical Science to introduce its NuQ blood-based cancer diagnostic platform in China.
VolitionRx's NuQ uses the company's Nucleosomics technology for identifying and quantifying nucleosome structural features such as histone modifications and variations, DNA methylation patterns, and nucleosome-protein adducts. The firm recently received CE marking for a NuQ colorectal cancer screening test.
Under the terms of a non-binding memorandum of understanding, VolitionRx and Fosun Long March intend to collaborate on testing the NuQ platform in three clinical studies in China in colorectal, lung, and ovarian cancer. Fosun Long March — the in vitro diagnostics unit of Shanghai-based Fosun Pharmaceutical — will assist VolitionRx in obtaining and testing blood samples for the studies.
"In addition to our plans to undertake three clinical studies, we are also planning to jointly explore the development of NuQ assays utilizing Fosun's Lumiart-II automated chemiluminescence immunoassay system, which could provide us with an additional platform for the Chinese market," Jasmine Kway, CEO of VolitionRx's Singapore division, said in a statement.
VolitionRx CEO Cameron Reynolds added that the company views China as a key market going forward, particularly in the area of lung cancer.