Left: Dr Martina Schmitz and Dr Alfred Hansel, managing directors of Oncgnostics. Credit: © Oncgnostics GmbH / Susanne Nuernberger.
Right: Dr Wolfgang Schlumberger, CEO of EUROIMMUN. Credit: © EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG.
Biotechnology company Oncgnostics is announcing a collaboration with the international diagnostics group EUROIMMUN, a PerkinElmer company. As part of the cooperation, EUROIMMUN will sell the cervical cancer test from Oncgnostics, GynTect, in the European countries of Portugal, Italy, Turkey and Poland. The test is also expected to be approved and on sale in Canada by the end of 2021.
The partnership is a valuable addition to the product portfolios of both companies. For seven years, EUROIMMUN has been successfully selling the EUROArray HPV, a molecular genetic test for the detection and complete genotyping of human papilloma viruses (HPV). The EUROIMMUN test can detect an HPV infection in women with a very high degree of certainty.
Not every HPV infection leads to a serious illness, however, as most women with an HPV infection remain healthy and the infection heals on its own. But no HPV test can predict this development. At this point, the GynTect test developed by Oncgnostics comes in.
The innovation of this test enables the reliable detection of DNA methylations, which are only present in the development of cancer cells. A malignant change that can develop into cancer can thus be detected by this solution.
“With the addition of GynTect to our product range, EUROIMMUN now has a complete package for cervical cancer diagnostics,” said Dr Wolfgang Schlumberger, CEO of EUROIMMUN. “The EUROArray HPV helps to estimate the individual cancer risk of patients thanks to the clear identification of 30 HPV subtypes.
“With GynTect, this risk can now be further specified with an additional step. A negative GynTect test can give many women with a proven HPV infection a sign of relief at an early stage.”
Oncgnostics produces GynTect tests in its production laboratory in Germany. They are sold internationally through EUROIMMUN to laboratories that carry out and evaluate the tests locally in various countries.
Additional international cooperation
Besides the first four EU countries and Canada, GynTect will be gradually introduced into other EU markets.
“We consider the fight against cervical cancer as a global challenge,” says Dr Martina Schmitz, managing director of Oncgnostics. “In addition to the nationwide vaccination, precise preventive tests play a major role.
“We are very pleased that this partnership gives us access to the widely developed EUROIMMUN sales network. By making new contacts with laboratories and physicians, more and more women are benefiting from the advantages of GynTect. We are building on this and are looking forward to working together.”