The agreement aims to increase the availability of therapeutic drug monitoring tests for psychiatry and oncology patients using existing laboratory equipment.
Saladax Biomedical and Thermo Fisher Scientific have entered a distribution agreement to expand international access to therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) assays for psychiatry and oncology.
Under the agreement, Thermo Fisher will distribute the TDM tests through its established global commercial organization. The portfolio includes assays used to monitor widely prescribed antipsychotic medications, such as clozapine, and chemotherapy agents, where drug exposure varies significantly between patients.
The Role of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
TDM is used to manage complex therapies for drugs with narrow therapeutic windows or high variability among patients. According to a press release from Saladax, current drug level monitoring methods are often not rapid enough, which can diminish their clinical utility.
The company states that rapid measurement of drug concentrations allows clinicians to better tailor therapy, reduce toxicity, and improve patient outcomes. Monitoring is considered essential in these cases to ensure patients receive the proper dosage of medication.
Laboratory Implementation
The proprietary assays are designed to run on existing instrumentation already used in hospital and reference laboratories. This allows facilities to implement advanced therapeutic drug monitoring without the need for new capital expenditure.
By utilizing Thermo Fisher’s global distribution channels, more laboratories will be able to provide clinicians with timely drug level information, according to a release from Saladax Biomedical.
“We are excited to enter this strategic partnership with Thermo Fisher to expand physician and patient access to Saladax’s clinically important therapeutic drug monitoring solutions. This partnership is a major step in making these important tests available to healthcare professionals on a global scale,” says Sal Salamone, ceo and founder of Saladax Biomedical, in a release.
The partnership is intended to broaden the reach of these diagnostics to healthcare professionals worldwide.
“Saladax’s proprietary TDM assays complement Thermo Fisher’s existing TDM portfolio and most importantly, expand the availability of comprehensive solutions that help improve patient outcomes,” says Patrick Jones, president of the clinical diagnostics business within Thermo Fisher, in a release.
