Summary: QIAGEN has expanded its partnership with AstraZeneca to develop a QIAstat-Dx genotyping assay for companion diagnostics, advancing genomic testing for AstraZeneca’s future therapies targeting chronic diseases.

Takeaways:

  • Enhanced Genotyping Capabilities: The collaboration will develop a genotyping assay using its QIAstat-Dx syndromic testing platform, enabling faster decision-making on patient suitability for AstraZeneca’s genomically targeted treatments.
  • Companion Diagnostic Innovation: This marks QIAGEN’s first companion diagnostic for chronic diseases using the QIAstat-Dx platform, demonstrating its expertise in molecular diagnostics.
  • Rapid, Multiplex Testing: The QIAstat-Dx system provides results in about an hour by detecting multiple biomarkers through real-time PCR, optimizing clinical workflow for specialty care providers.

QIAGEN has expanded its master collaboration agreement with AstraZeneca to develop and commercialize companion diagnostics (CDx) for AstraZeneca’s future therapies targeting chronic diseases. 

The collaboration will see QIAGEN developing and validating a genotyping assay using its QIAstat-Dx syndromic testing platform. The recent development is poised to enhance the company’s molecular diagnostics business.

QIAGEN and AstraZeneca’s Expanded Partnership

The new QIAstat-Dx genotyping assay, being developed through the expanded partnership with AstraZeneca, will enable specialty care providers to potentially perform genotyping during the patients’ routine clinical examination. This will potentially facilitate faster decision-making on determining their potential suitability for AstraZeneca’s genomically targeted medicines, according to the companies. 

“We are pleased to expand our partnership with AstraZeneca into new disease areas using our QIAstat‑Dx system and to develop together the first companion diagnostic for chronic diseases based on this platform”, says Fernando Beils, senior vice president, head of the Molecular Diagnostics Business Area at QIAGEN. “The development of the QIAstat-Dx genotyping assay with AstraZeneca showcases QIAGEN’s expertise in companion diagnostic development and commercialization, utilizing the most suitable molecular testing platform to meet the unique clinical and commercial needs of patient testing.”

Further reading: QIAGEN Endorses New AAP Guidelines for Pediatric TB Screening

The QIAstat-Dx System

The QIAstat-Dx system is designed for laboratory use and employs cost-efficient, single-use cartridges with built-in sample processing and on-board reagents. Utilizing multiplex real-time PCR, the system detects and differentiates between multiple biomarkers, providing results in about an hour. It also provides easy-to-view cycle threshold (Ct) values and amplification curves, offering additional insights not available with end-point PCR or other techniques. Per QIAGEN, more than 4,000 cumulative instrument placements had been made at the end of 2023.