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Roche Terminates Cancer Screening Collaboration with Epigenomics

Dec 15, 2006 cancer, commentary, methylation, news links

Roche Diagnostics has announced that it has decided to end its 4-year collaboration with Epigenomics (ECX GY). The entire statement follows:

    Roche Diagnostics announced today that it has decided to terminate its 4-year collaboration with Epigenomics to develop prostate, breast, and colorectal cancer screening diagnostic tests based on Epigenomics’ DNA methylation technologies. Roche determined that the colorectal cancer screening data presented by Epigenomics to date did not meet Roche criteria for development as in vitro diagnostic tests.
This announcement will most likely be followed by a press release from Epigenomics inidicating that they are in the process of seeking a new partner to develop cancer screening diagnostic tests based on their methylation technologies. However, this news follows an October 26 announcement that the company would focus its efforts on late-stage product development, and lay off approximately one-third of its Berlin staff. The end of the Roche collaboration may be too much for the company to overcome.

Update: Epigenomics stock has fallen following the announcement of the end of the Roche collaboration. MarketWatch also has comments from Epigenomics CFO Oliver Schacht on their “ongoing discussions” with diagnostic partners for licensing the rights to the diagnostic tests.

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This entry was posted on Friday, December 15th, 2006 at 8:30 am and is filed under cancer, commentary, methylation, news links. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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