The new collaboration between Biocartis (Biocartis NV; Mechelen, Belgium) and Abbott Laboratories (Abbott Park, IL, USA) is expected to fuel new pharmaceutical partnerships for companion diagnostics programs.

Under the agreement, the companies will develop and commercialize multiplex companion diagnostics tests, and will leverage Biocartis' molecular diagnostics system "Idylla" and Abbott's regulatory, scientific, and commercialization expertise. "Much of the current molecular diagnostic practice involves a series of specialized, labor intensive, and time-consuming steps," said Rudi Pauwels, CEO and chairman, Biocartis, "Our Idylla system is extremely easy-to-use and provides rapid results, offering doctors quick and easy access to individual patient biomarker data anywhere and anytime. We are excited to combine strengths with Abbott in order to make this new generation of diagnostic solutions available to patients globally."

In partnership with pharmaceutical companies, Biocartis and Abbott will create various biomarker panels for use on the Idylla system, where each marker in the panel has a known clinical significance. Multiplexing is important for pharmaceutical partners that need to analyze multiple biomarkers in their clinical trials and ultimately helps physicians obtain more useful information from limited patient samples. The Idylla system features a unique, integrated, “sample in, result out” technology, to generate high quality molecular test results.

"As a leading diagnostics partner in developing companion diagnostic tests, Abbott is excited to help bring new testing opportunities to the field of personalized medicine," said Deepak Nath, president, Molecular Diagnostics, Abbott, "This agreement is not only a strategic business fit in expanding our companion diagnostics partnerships with leading pharmaceutical companies, but ultimately, it enables us to help improve the lives of cancer patients worldwide."