On November 1, 2020 LabCorp (NYSE: LH), a leading global life sciences company that is focused on advancing health and guiding patient care decisions, and BML, a leading Japanese provider of clinical laboratory testing services, reported an expanded agreement to provide development and delivery of companion diagnostics in Japan (Press release, LabCorp, NOV 1, 2020, View Source [SID1234569597]). This collaboration broadens the potential network of laboratories used by pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies to support companion diagnostic development and commercialization. The collaboration is intended to increase access to healthcare providers in Japan, and further accelerate the adoption of companion diagnostics that are used in drug development and clinical trials.
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The collaboration will initially focus on the commercial availability of assays that have been developed and validated both analytically and clinically at LabCorp’s drug development business, Covance. The companies expect the first application of the new agreement will address unmet needs in oncology.
LabCorp is an established leader in the development, validation, and commercialization of companion diagnostics, which are key enablers of precision medicine. The company has been involved in the development of drugs and their associated companion diagnostics for more than 20 years, and has more U.S. Food & Drug Administration-approved companion diagnostics than any other company. BML, a leader in clinical diagnostic testing in Japan, has more than 53 laboratories and 116 customer service locations, and processes more than 1.5 billion diagnostic tests per year.
"Companion diagnostics are a key component of our precision medicine strategy, enabling healthcare providers to identify the patients who are most likely to benefit from targeted and novel therapies," said Steve Anderson, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of Covance and senior vice president at LabCorp. "This partnership with BML further expands our reach to Japan and benefits our biopharmaceutical clients who need global solutions for precision medicine, with the ultimate goal of improving health and improving lives for patients around the world."
"Our collaboration with LabCorp allows BML to provide our clients with robust companion diagnostics services for the patients who need them in Japan. It builds on our trusted relationship with Covance, which has provided clinical trials testing services to our pharmaceutical partners for over 10 years," said Dr. Kensuke Kondo, president of BML. "Our combined ability to bridge the time gaps between the development phase and drug approval through to national reimbursement, along with the benefit of having a centralized laboratory testing facility, gives our respective customers the advantage of early adoption of their drug. BML’s experience with local testing requirements, quality standards and logistical expectations will ensure instant access to high-quality testing."
BML has collaborated with LabCorp’s drug development business Covance for a decade across over a thousand projects. The collaboration created the Covance-BML Trial Laboratory to manage the growing demand for in-country laboratory testing services that support drug development and clinical trials for pharmaceutical companies. Terms of the new agreement have not been disclosed.