Biocartis announced today that it has entered into a strategic agreement with Janssen Pharmaceutica NV (Janssen), part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, to co-develop assays on Biocartis’ fully integrated molecular diagnostics system. Under the agreement, Janssen, with involvement from Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, will have worldwide exclusive rights to develop and commercialize assays on the Biocartis platform in the fields of neurological disease and certain viral infectious diseases. Earlier in 2010, Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation took an equity stake in Biocartis.
Biocartis signed its first strategic collaboration in molecular diagnostics with bioMérieux in November 2010. Under this agreement, bioMérieux gained worldwide rights to develop and commercialize microbiology assays on its platform, as well as gaining access to the platform for certain oncology and theranostics assays.
Biocartis has continued to successfully develop its molecular diagnostics platform, which it acquired from Philips in February 2010. The platform now fully integrates all the steps of a multiplexed molecular assay, from sample-in to data-out, in a sealed, single-use disposable cartridge, which avoids any contamination risk. Providing rapid results, the system is able to perform complex tests on a wide variety of samples, including oncology assays on tissue. The Biocartis platform does not require molecular biology experience or infrastructure with highly skilled technicians, and involves only 1-2 minutes hands-on time. Adapted to both small and large labs, the platform is fully scalable and allows random access use.
Biocartis intends to bring its novel molecular diagnostics system to the market through a series of exclusive collaborations. This approach will enable a broad menu of assays, covering a wide range of clinical applications, to be provided to end-users. The current strategic collaboration with Janssen will enhance the Biocartis platform’s broad menu with an exclusive line of assays in the fields of neurological disease and certain viral infectious diseases. For the latter field, Biocartis and Janssen may co-develop and commercialize assays. Biocartis will manufacture the instruments and the diagnostic assays.
“We are very pleased to announce this agreement with Janssen. This second major collaboration further expands and accelerates our plans to develop a broad and clinically relevant menu of molecular diagnostic tests on our unique integrated platform. The new tests that will be developed under this collaboration address the needs to improve the quality and efficiency by which a number of major diseases are treated and managed in individual patients and in various clinical settings,” said Dr. Rudi Pauwels, Founder and Chief Executive Officer from Biocartis. “This collaboration and the agreement that we announced in November 2010 with bioMérieux, represent the practical start and implementation of our collaborative business strategy in which we bring together expertise and capabilities and aim for maximum synergies between our current and future partners.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Biocartis will receive upfront and milestone payments from Janssen Pharmaceutica NV as well as royalties on future sales. No further financial details of the transaction were disclosed.
More information: www.biocartis.com
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