Epigenomics terminated a licensing contract related to Chinese distribution rights for its Septin9 biomarker and Epi proColon colorectal cancer blood test.
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.
Epigenomics terminated its collaboration with China's BioChain for the licensing of the septin9 marker and exclusive Chinese distribution rights for Epi proColon.
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 said that its cell-free DNA assay has shown a high positive predictive value in preliminary clinical studies involving stage IV colorectal cancer patients.
The test, which searches for fragments of DNA 200 basepairs or longer that are characteristic of diseased mucosa, may eventually compete with diagnostics like Exact Sciences' Cologuard.
