Psynova Neurotech and Roche Collaborate on Schizophrenia Companion Diagnostic

(Cambridge, UK), a subsidiary of Rules-Based Medicine, Inc. (RBM; Austin TX, USA) has entered into an exclusive research and licensing agreement with Roche to collaborate on the discovery, development, validation, and commercialization of diagnostic immunoassays to aid the clinical development and commercial differentiation of novel treatments for schizophrenia.

Roche will contract Psynova to identify candidate serum protein biomarkers that can be used for the prognosis of disease progression and predicting or monitoring the efficacy and safety of a compound from Roche's central nervous system (CNS) pipeline. Psynova will utilize its proprietary schizophrenia biomarker panels, its extensive central nervous system (CNS) disease database and its access to RBM's DiscoveryMAP technology to identify a specific biomarker signature that could serve as a companion diagnostic. Any resulting companion diagnostic will be developed either by Psynova and RBM (as the preferred developer for the companion diagnostic in partnership with Roche), or independently by Roche (Basel, Switzerland), which would result in milestone and royalty payments to Psynova.

Psynova Neurotech, together with the Bahn laboratory Inc., at the University of Cambridge Institute of Biotechnology (UK) and RBM recently announced the discovery and characterization of a combination of protein biomarkers that demonstrate utility as an adjunctive aid in the differential diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Rules-Based Medicine, Inc. is a clinical laboratory improvement amendments (CLIA)-certified biomarker testing laboratory that solves complex diagnostic, therapeutic development, and treatment challenges. The Company's proprietary multianalyte profiling (MAP) platform makes the drug discovery and development process more efficient and effective by providing preclinical and clinical researchers with reproducible, quantitative, multiplexed, immunoassay data for hundreds of proteins from small sample volumes.

Schizophrenia symptoms can include hallucinations, delusions, disordered thinking, movement disorders, flat affect, social withdrawal, and cognitive deficits, and are often undistinguishable from those of other mental health or central nervous system illnesses. Treatments can relieve many symptoms of schizophrenia and allow people to live independent lives. Biomarkers have the potential to facilitate identification of patients that will benefit from specific treatments and monitor their responses during treatment.

Related Links:
Psynova Neurotech Ltd.
Rules-Based Medicine, Inc.
Roche
University of Cambridge Institute of Biotechnology