Biocartis Group, Mechelen, Belgium, has expanded its collaboration with LifeArc, a London-based independent medical research charity, with a new agreement aimed at the development of prototype assays in the field of infectious and immune-related diseases on Biocartis’ fully automated molecular diagnostics platform Idylla.

The new license and development agreement is an extension of the existing partnership between LifeArc and Biocartis, which is today focused on the development and the commercialization of the Idylla ABC (Advanced Breast Cancer) assay. This assay is positioned to target a multi-gene panel of predictive and resistance-inducing mutations based on a formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sample type. Under the new agreement, LifeArc obtains a nonexclusive license to use the Idylla platform for the development of Idylla assays in the area of infectious and immune-related diseases, aimed at supporting patient stratification and treatment monitoring of patients with, among others, bacterial, fungal, and viral infections.

“Although our focus remains in oncology, we know the Idylla platform to have a much broader capability such as in infectious disease testing,” says Herman Verrelst, chief executive officer of Biocartis. “We have always said we were keen on exploring opportunities there together with partners. LifeArc is one of the largest UK charitable medical research institutions and an organization that works with some of the most advanced and comprehensive technologies available today. Adding to the ongoing development of our proprietary Idylla SARS-CoV-2 Test and to our collaboration with Immunexpress on sepsis testing, this collaboration will further help build an innovative Idylla test pipeline in the area of infectious and immune related diseases with high clinical need. We’re pleased to see our partnering activities continue to add to the test menu and attractiveness of the Idylla platform.”

For more information, visit Biocartis and LifeArc.