Genzyme Announces License Agreement with Moffitt Cancer Center for Exclusive Rights to Lung Cancer Diagnostic
Will Add to Genzyme's Personalized Medicine Testing Portfolio
Genzyme Corp. announced that it has entered into a license agreement with Moffitt Cancer Center to obtain exclusive worldwide diagnostic testing rights to the discovery of the relationship of two proteins to patient response to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment. The Expression level of these proteins may help predict how these patients will respond to therapy. Genzyme Genetics' relationship with Moffitt broadens its lung cancer testing portfolio.
The expression levels of the two proteins, RRM1 and ERCC1, have been shown by Dr. Gerold Bepler, M.D., and his team from Moffitt, to correlate with patient response to platinum drugs and gemcitabine, both of which are commonly used in treating NSCLC. Through this license, Genzyme plans to develop and market a diagnostic test that can be used to measure the expression levels of these proteins in NSCLC patients. This test may be used to guide first-line treatment for these patients, which in turn may improve patient outcomes while avoiding unnecessary side effects from ineffective treatment.
Under the license agreement, Genzyme has agreed to pay Moffitt when various milestones are reached and provide Moffitt with running royalties on the sales of licensed services and products.
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