DNA Methylation Maps Will Aid Discovery of Epigenetic Markers

Also called gene silencing, DNA methylation controls whether or not a gene is turned on or off. Epigenetic changes can be associated with disease risk, disease progression, and response to therapy.

Following a multiyear agreement, Orion Genomics (Saint Louis, MO, USA) and the molecular diagnostics unit of Novartis Pharma AG (Basel, Switzerland) will attempt to discover novel epigenetic biomarkers. Both parties have rights to independently develop and commercialize diagnostic products in their respective fields. Financial terms were not disclosed. The companies intend to develop and commercialize promising diagnostic products that address various stages of disease. Resulting diagnostic tests could lead to advances in personalized medicine, potentially helping doctors optimize the treatment of patients.

Under the terms of the agreement, Orion Genomics also granted Novartis nonexclusive worldwide rights to its proprietary MethylScreen clinical assay technology, its polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based clinical assay platform that quantitatively detects epigenetic biomarkers in patient samples. "Epigenetic changes can play a key role in certain disease biology, and could lead to the development of important new diagnostic tools," said Nathan D. Lakey, president and CEO of Orion Genomics. "Ultimately, our collaboration with Novartis Molecular Diagnostics aims to support the development of innovative tests which we hope will provide physicians and patients with better information to guide treatment decisions."

Howard McLeod, professor of medicine and pharmacy and director of the University of North Carolina Institute for Individualized Therapy (Chapel Hill, NC, USA) commented, "As we consider how to optimize the use of the healthcare dollar, leveraging personalized medicine tools such as epigenetics to do a better job of matching individual patients with effective therapies will become ever more important."

Related Links:
Orion Genomics
Novartis Pharma AG
University of North Carolina Institute for Individualized Therapy