Illumina Partners With Merck To Develop Tests For Use In Identifying Specific Cancer Mutations

(RTTNews) - Illumina Inc. (ILMN) and Merck & Co Inc. (MRK) have partnered to develop and commercialize tests that identify genetic mutations used in the assessment of homologous recombination deficiency or HRD, Illumina said in a statement.

Patients whose tumors are HRD-positive may be eligible for targeted treatment by a class of precision medicines called PARP inhibitors. The HRD tests will leverage Illumina's TruSight Oncology 500 content.

Illumina noted that the partnership builds on an initial study conducted with Merck and leverages Illumina's relationship with Myriad Genetics (MYGN) to expand international access to the proprietary technology in Myriad's FDA approved myChoice CDx companion diagnostic test.

Illumina said it will develop a new HRD CDx test for the EU and the UK to aid in the identification of ovarian cancer patients with positive HRD status who are eligible for treatment with LYNPARZA or olaparib, a first-in-class PARP inhibitor, jointly developed and commercialized by Merck and AstraZeneca.

In addition, Illumina will develop and commercialize a research use only HRD assay that will be add-on content for the TruSight Oncology 500 RUO panel. Illumina plans to launch this product globally, excluding the United States and Japan.