Merck to Collaborate with Sysmex Inostics on a Blood-Based RAS Biomarker Test
Merck announced that the company has signed an agreement to collaborate with Sysmex Inostics GmbH for the development and commercialization of a blood-based RAS biomarker test for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).
Blood-based biomarker testing is a faster and easier approach for determining the mutation status of tumors as it requires a small blood sample rather than a tissue biopsy procedure. The test has the potential to provide mutation status results within days, which in turn can help guide treatment decisions.1 In addition, it may become the method of choice where a tissue biopsy is difficult to obtain, for example in patients whose physical condition does not allow for a surgical procedure.
Approximately half of patients with mCRC have RAS wild-type tumors and half have RAS mutant tumors.10 Results from studies assessing RAS mutation status in patients with mCRC have shown that anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody therapies, such as Erbitux (cetuximab), can improve outcomes in patients with RAS wild-type mCRC.5–9
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