LGC and Gentris announce licensing agreement

Gentris obtains rights from LGC to make, use and sell diagnostic products and services which include testing for the CYP2D6*4 polymorphism

LGC and Gentris have entered into a non-exclusive licensing agreement.

Gentris obtains rights to make, use and sell diagnostic products and services which include testing for the CYP2D6*4 polymorphism in the USA.

LGC is the exclusive licensor of this gene variation on behalf of Dundee University and Cancer Research UK.

Patients with the *4 variant of the CYP2D6 gene are known to be poor metabolisers of about 20 percent of commonly prescribed medications including painkillers, anti-depressants, analgesics and cardiovascular drugs.

The commercialization and adoption of CYP2D6 genetic testing services and diagnostic products will contribute to reducing adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in this population and improving the quality and efficacy of drugs and ultimately patient care.

Currently ADRs account for 106,000 deaths per year and 2.2million hospitalizations per year in the US, making them the fourth leading cause of death and fifth leading cause of illness.

"The value of testing for key genetic markers associated with poor metabolism of medications has now become internationally accepted as a way to prevent some adverse drug reactions in individuals, and to identify those at risk of side effects," said Paul Debenham, director of life sciences at LGC.

"Today's advances in medical-based science and technology have generated DNA-based test technologies with the potential to shape the future care of us all".

"We have seen a marked growth in the demand for pharmacogenetic services and products and are pleased to see a leading international provider like Gentris actively apply this exciting technology to the field.

The licensing agreement with LGC is a key milestone for Gentris that demonstrates the company's commitment to building the industry's most robust and relevant portfolio of genetic testing services and diagnostic products.

"Gentris is dedicated to helping our clients integrate pharmacogenomic testing into their drug development programmes to deliver safer, more effective compounds to the market sooner," commented Gentris CEO Michael Murphy.

This announcement coincides with the recent release of Gentris' proprietary human genomic DNA reference controls for the CYP2D6 gene, which are currently available for research use.

No other commercial source of reference controls for the CYP2D6 gene is presently on the market.

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