Qiagen has signed a master collaboration agreement with global pharmaceutical company Astellas Pharma to develop and commercialise companion diagnostics, combined with the latter's drugs for use in cancer and other diseases.
As part of the agreement, Astellas will access Qiagen's development capabilities for assays based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) next generation sequencing (NGS) and multi-modal testing technologies using liquid and tissue biopsies.
Qiagen chief executive officer Peer Schatz said: "We are very pleased to partner with Astellas to help maximise the benefits of their innovative new drugs with companion diagnostics from our development and commercialisation engine.
"Qiagen shares Astellas commitment to contribute actively toward improving the health of patients by realising the benefits of personalised healthcare.
The team will initial work on two projects including ASP5878, a fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) inhibitor, and ASP8273, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor.
The two projects, which will focus on oncology, intend to pair Qiagen diagnostics with Astellas compounds in early stage clinical trials.
Schatz said: "With the master agreement and the first two projects to be disclosed, Qiagen is further expanding its leadership in personalised medicine, including in Japan, one of the world's largest markets for companion diagnostics.
"The master agreement provides Astellas and Qiagen flexibility and a strong foundation to add further development projects across other therapeutic areas, across analytical techniques, and across a broad array of sampling options."
