Beckman Coulter Life Sciences and IncellDx have signed a distribution agreement focusing on human papillomavirus and cancer research in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Under the agreement, IncellDx's investigational molecular assay used to quantify HPV E6/E7 mRNA in single cells has been optimized to run on Beckman Coulter's CytoFlex flow cytometry system. This platform is able to integrate E6/E7 mRNA overexpression with measurements of cell cycle and cell proliferation, the partners said.

"The hallmark of cancer research is the quantification of oncogenes E6 and E7 in cells from the cervix, anus, or head and neck," IncellDx CEO Bruce Patterson said in a statement. "However, as cytology samples contain a heterogeneous mixture of normal and abnormal cells, it is critical that we are able carry out quantification at the single-cell level."

Mario Koksch, vice president and general manager of Beckman Coulter's Flow Cytometry business unit noted in a statement that the partnership "enables us to expand our product offerings in clinical research applications, further strengthening the company's growing infectious diseases portfolio."

Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.