16.06.09
Lab21 partners with Innogenetics to build comprehensive HCV drug resistance IP portfolio

Cambridge, UK – 16th June 2009: Lab21, the healthcare diagnostics company, is pleased to announce it has reached agreement with Innogenetics to create a powerful IP portfolio relating to hepatitis C virus (HCV) drug resistance. The Lab21 IP has recently been granted in Europe and Australia and covers the analysis of sequence variation within the viral serine protease, NS3 while the Innogenetics IP covers the viral polymerase protein, NS5B, a major target in current pharmaceutical drug development. Collectively, the two sets of IP will cover analysis of sequence variation across these two major antiviral targets for all 6 major genotypes of HCV. 

The combination of the two sets of IP will allow Lab21 or other diagnostic partners to develop commercial assays for the rapid identification of genotypic variations associated with HCV drug resistance, which is expected to be a major emerging problem in clinical practice as new small molecule therapies are launched.

Graham Mullis, CEO Lab21, said: “Using the precedent of HIV antiviral drug resistance as a predictor of the growing HCV drug resistance market means there will be a clear requirement from both a regulatory and a clinical perspective to be able to identify the emergence of such resistance. As new HCV therapies, focused on the NS3 and NS5B genes are launched over the next 5 years, the issue of genotyping patients to identify specific drug resistance profiling will be a major requirement to successfully treat patients. This IP area is an example of the investment that Lab21 is making in developing its own proprietary diagnostic testing.”

The IP covers any nucleic-acid based technology which requires amplification of the target genes and will cover existing analytical platforms including direct sequence analysis, line-probe hybridization, real-time PCR and SNP analysis.

The IP has already been developed into working laboratory assays capable of rapidly analysis sequence variation across the entire NS3 and NS5 protein. Currently, the partnership is undertaking a strategic assessment to decide how best to commercialize and maximize the market opportunity. 

Dr Berwyn Clarke, Chief Scientific Development Officer, said: “We believe that the IP around the NS3 and NS5B genes will be central to the development of commercial assays to monitor the emergence of specific drug resistance patterns in the clinic. Target customers for assays based on this IP will include pharmaceutical companies developing HCV therapeutics, commercial diagnostic manufacturers, routine pathology laboratories and clinical research organizations running HCV clinical trials.”

 

For further information:
Lab21
Graham Mullis, CEO
Maddy Kennedy, CFO
Dr Berwyn Clarke, CSDO
t: +44 (0)1223 395461
e: graham.mullis@lab-21.com
maddy.kennedy@lab21.com
berwyn.clarke@lab21.com

For media and investor enquiries:
Buchanan Communications
Mark Court / Rebecca Skye Dietrich / Katharine Sutton
t: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000
e: markc@buchanan.uk.com
rebeccad@buchanan.uk.com

 

About Lab21
Lab21 is a global provider of state-of-the-art diagnostic products and services, supporting blood bank screening, medical diagnostics and drug discovery. Its customers include international healthcare providers, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
The product division of the Company manufactures immunodiagnostic kits and reagents that are distributed into 110 international countries and is focused on infectious diseases for the blood-banking market.
The service division has a growing test portfolio providing companion diagnostics and high technology molecular assays for the growing integration of personalised medicine into healthcare. These services are currently in infectious diseases, oncology and pharmacogenetics areas with emerging interests in cardiovascular and metabolic disease.
Lab21's clinical reference laboratory and corporate office is based in Cambridge and has additional UK manufacturing sites in Newmarket, Bridport and Ipswich. It also has R&D operations in Cape Town, South Africa. The Company's investors include Merlin Biosciences, Nexus Medical Partners, Medicis Capital, Rowan Dartington and Kreos Capital.
Website:  www.lab21.com


About Innogenetics
INNOGENETICS NV is an international biotechnology company that develops and markets diagnostic assays in the fields of Infectious Diseases, Genetic Testing, Transplantation, Neurodegeneration, and Oncology, with a special focus on molecular diagnostics and multiparameter testing.  Details are available on www.innogenetics.com
Innogenetics is a Solvay Pharmaceuticals company.  Solvay Pharmaceuticals is the global pharmaceuticals sector of the Solvay Group  Solvay is listed on the NYSE Euronext stock exchange in Brussels (NYSE Euronext: SOLB.BE - Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLBt.BR). Details are available at www.solvay.com.