The partners will extend the lung cancer biomarker study to countries in and outside Europe, and see if liquid biopsy could offer benefits to tissue-based testing.
The company signed a distribution agreement in Japan for its Idylla products and also initiated a listing of €150 million in unsecured convertible bonds.
The Belgian oncology molecular diagnostics firm reported a 17 percent increase in product sales but said that sales of cartridges in the US were lower than expected.
Biocartis' Idylla called some colorectal cancer samples negative that Sysmex Inostics's OncoBEAM called positive, but the clinical implications may be complex.
Idylla molecular testing instruments will be placed at Covance sites to support customer needs for clinical trials and to validate and implement companion diagnostic applications.
The deal will focus on Biocartis' Idylla MSI test, which provides information on a tumor's microsatellite instability status of a tumor from a single FFPE slice.
The firm will expand on its MSI assay for use in immunotherapy while developing liquid biopsy assays to monitor patients post therapy and for recurrence.
The firm plans to submit its Idylla MSI test for 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration after receiving CE-IVD approval this morning.
