As part of their recently announced collaboration, Qiagen and Myriad Genetics will develop a kit-based test for analyzing homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) status. This next-generation sequencing test aims to support research into personalized medicine in multiple solid tumor types, including ovarian cancer, the firms said.
According to a statement from both companies, the HRD assay will use Qiagen's QIAseq xHYB technology, Qiagen Digital Insight solutions, and Myriad's MyChoice CDx biomarkers.
MyChoice CDx is a single-site centralized testing service for analyzing HRD in certain tumors. The service assesses HRD status by examining a tumor's DNA repair capabilities, particularly focusing on BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, and calculating a genome instability score (GIS). The GIS aids in identifying ovarian cancer patients who are most likely to benefit from targeted therapies.
According to the firms, the MyChoice CDx assay can identify 34% more tumors with HRD using the GIS compared to other methods only using percent loss of heterozygosity. As approximately 48% of ovarian cancer tumors have HRD, expanding access to this assay ensures that more patients can receive the most appropriate treatments.
Under the terms of the collaboration, Qiagen will distribute the test kit globally. In addition, the agreement grants Qiagen the right to collaborate with pharmaceutical partners to create an IVD-validated test intended for use as a companion diagnostic test intended for use outside of the U.S.
