Abbott will partner with Merck to evaluate the use of a fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) based companion diagnostic test to aid the development of Merck’s investigational cancer therapy.

FISH-based companion diagnostic assays are intended to detect specific DNA sequences to help guide physicians determine which patients are more or less likely to respond favourably to Merck’s investigational cancer therapy.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

As per the agreement, Abbott will develop a test based on its proprietary FISH technology, designed to identify deletions of the TP53 gene in cancer patients.

Abbott Molecular diagnostics business head Stafford O’Kelly said the aim of the collaboration is to ensure the right medicine gets to the right patient.

“As one of the early pioneers in companion diagnostics, we believe that linking genetic testing with drug development at the earliest stages can increase the effectiveness and predictability of medicines and help physicians make more informed treatment decisions,” O’Kelly added.

FISH technology will help identify whether too many, or too few, copies of a particular gene are present in the body’s cells or whether certain genes have rearrangements that play an active role in disease progression.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Abbott’s portfolio of companion diagnostic tests includes the PathVysion HER-2 DNA Probe Kit, which is cleared for use in selecting breast cancer patients for whom herceptin (trastuzumab) therapy is being considered.

Approved in 2011, Abbott’s Vysis ALK Break Apart FISH Probe Kit helps in detecting non-small cell lung cancer patients for xalkori (crizotinib) treatment.

The molecular diagnostics tests of the company can also detect key changes in patient genes and chromosomes for earlier detection or diagnosis, provide information relevant to the selection of appropriate therapies, and may improve monitoring of disease progression.

Abbott is a health care company focused on the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics.