GERMANTOWN, Maryland and HILDEN, Germany, August 16, 2011
/PRNewswire/ —
- Diagnostic-therapeutic combination aims to improve standard
of care for patients with non-small cell lung cancer
(NSCLC) - Molecular test for KRAS gene mutations holds potential to
help determine whether there is a subset of patients who are more
likely to benefit from Pfizer‘s investigational
anticancer compound - Collaboration in lung cancer follows QIAGEN‘s
two FDA submissions of KRAS mutation-based companion diagnostics in
metastatic colorectal cancer treatment - Partnership builds on QIAGEN‘s leadership in
Personalized Healthcare, with more than 15 co-developments and 20
companion diagnostics
QIAGEN (NASDAQ:
QGEN; Frankfurt, Prime Standard: QIA) today announced it has
entered into a partnership with Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:
PFE) for the development of a companion molecular diagnostic
test for use with an investigational Pfizer compound in global
clinical development for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer
(NSCLC). Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Pfizer’s investigational compound, dacomitinib (PF-00299804), is
an oral inhibitor of HER-1 (EGFR), HER-2 and HER-4 tyrosine
kinases. The HER (human epidermal growth factor receptor) signaling
pathway plays a role in the complex process of cell growth and
metastasis, making it a target for anti-cancer drugs.
QIAGEN’s proposed companion diagnostic will be based on its
proprietary KRAS assay technology, which reliably detects mutations
of the KRAS gene that are frequently found in human cancers.
Because EGFR inhibitors are generally effective in patients
without these KRAS mutations
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