NEW YORK – MD Anderson Cancer Center and BostonGene on Tuesday announced a collaboration to validate cancer biomarkers identified by MD Anderson researchers and develop clinical diagnostics based on those targets.
Under the agreement, which builds on existing collaborations between BostonGene and MD Anderson, the partners will conduct investigator-sponsored retrospective and prospective studies to identify and validate biomarkers for common and rare cancers. The two entities hope to develop multiple clinically actionable tests from this research and conduct clinical utility studies to support their incorporation into national guidelines and adoption into the standard of care.
The alliance will leverage BostonGene's computational platform and its CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited laboratory as well as the clinical and translational research expertise of MD Anderson's investigators.
"Through our collaboration with BostonGene, we will utilize multi-parameter discovery, big data analytics and computational support to advance and validate novel diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers that we hope will guide physicians to deliver optimal care to each patient," Funda Meric-Bernstam, chair of investigational cancer therapeutics at MD Anderson, said in a statement.
MD Anderson is eligible to receive undisclosed payments from BostonGene if it meets certain clinical milestones and commercial sales goals for the developed tests. The partners didn't disclose further financial details of the deal.
BostonGene and MD Anderson recently inked a laboratory services agreement to offer its Tumor Portrait test and data analytics platform to oncologists at the cancer center.