Seattle Genetics seeking a test to ID who will respond to Adcetris

Seattle Genetics, maker of the antibody drug conjugate Adcetris for relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma and for anaplastic large cell lymphoma, is announcing a collaboration with Ventana Medical Systems, Inc., a member of the Roche Group.

The importance of this collaboration agreement is that Ventana will be attempting to develop, manufacture and commercialize a molecular companion diagnostic test with the goal of identifying patients who might respond to treatment with Adcetris based on the expression of the protein CD30 on the surface of cancerous cells.

As part of the ongoing clinical development of Adcetris, Seattle Genetics is in the midst of organizing and initiating a pair of Phase III clinical trials that will employ this companion diagnostic:

-- One trial will explore the diagnostic in CD30-positive cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) patients
-- The other trial will explore the diagnostic in CD30-positive mature T-cell lymphoma (MTCL) patients.

“Availability of a CD30 companion diagnostic will bring us a step closer to our vision of a more personalized, target-based approach to the treatment of cancer, and supports our broad ongoing and planned clinical development of Adcetris for CD30-positive patients in need,” said Thomas C. Reynolds, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer of Seattle Genetics.

Source: MarketWatch