Lab21 launches new lung cancer companion diagnostic service
Lab21 Limited has launched a new Companion Diagnostic testing service for non-small cell lung cancer patients.
The EML4-ALK companion diagnostic test for translocations in the ALK gene will allow physicians to select lung cancer patients likely to respond to ALK inhibitor therapy. The test uses proprietary PCR technology and will be performed in Lab21’s accredited laboratories in Cambridge, UK. The addition of this test expands Lab21’s current Oncology Companion Diagnostics portfolio which includes KRAS, EGFR and BRAF mutation analysis.
Clinical trials show that patients suffering from Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) with translocations in the ALK gene have a significantly improved outcome when treated with an ALK inhibitor. NSCLC affects around 1 Million patients worldwide and ~5% of those patients will have translocations in ALK. More than 80% of known translocations are with the EML4 gene.
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