Nanogen and Pathway Diagnostics sign licence agreement
San Diego-based Nanogen and Pathway Diagnostics have entered into a non-exclusive, worldwide licence agreement under which Nanogen will develop diagnostic products that detect genetic variations associated with responses to antidepressant and antipsychotic therapeutics.
San Diego-based Nanogen and Pathway Diagnostics have entered into a non-exclusive, worldwide licence agreement under which Nanogen will develop diagnostic products that detect genetic variations associated with responses to antidepressant and antipsychotic therapeutics.
The companies have begun work on developing a molecular diagnostic product that could be used to select the most appropriate drug and dosage for patients treated for psychiatric diseases.
In the US, schizophrenia affects more than 2 million people each year, and more than 20 million people suffer from depression. Although many therapeutic options are available for patients suffering from these conditions, for some patients the side effects of drug therapy can range from unpleasant to life-threatening. Determining optimal drug regimens and dosing strategies are challenges that are currently addressed by trial-and-error prescribing practices. Side effects may be caused by a variety of factors, including variations in genes that are targets of the drugs or are involved in drug response. In addition to the negative effect on an individual's health, significant direct and indirect costs are associated with these adverse drug responses.
'We are optimistic that Nanogen's partnership with Pathway Diagnostics will result in exciting products that will contribute to more personalised medical treatments,' said Howard C Birndorf, Nanogen's chairman of the board and CEO. 'Because our NanoChip platform can simultaneously analyse multiple genetic markers, we have the capability to develop a diagnostic panel to detect these newly licenced genetic variations, along with genes in the cytochrome P450 family that are related to drug metabolism, in order to allow the physician to prescribe the right drug at the right dosage.'
'We are committed to developing novel biomarkers that will improve the quality of health care,' said Sanford Zweifach, ceo of Pathway Diagnostics. 'This agreement with Nanogen represents an important milestone for our company as we work with commercial partners to convert our proprietary assays into diagnostic products.'