CompanDX, CRL enter multi-year agreement to develop biomarker panels

CompanDX Ltd., bioinformatics partner for the life sciences industry, and Clinical Reference Laboratory, Inc. (CRL), provider of laboratory testing services in molecular diagnostics and clinical trials, today announced they entered into a multi-year agreement to collaborate in the development and support of biomarker panels and companion diagnostic development for pharmaceutical, biotech and academic clients worldwide. Under the terms of the agreement, CompanDX will continue its trailblazing bioinformatics work on its "Distiller" platform, which includes the development of the first "Time to Event" breast cancer signature supported by CRL's CLIA-certified laboratory services.

The agreement today paves the way for CRL and CompanDX to deliver "discovery to validated test" services to their respective clients.  "CRL has a strong, long-standing reputation for providing state-of-the-art CLIA-certified testing services. In forging this relationship it allows us to reach both upstream and downstream to significantly broadening our reach into the growing market of Molecular Diagnostics, Stratified Clinical Trails and Personalized Medicine," said AD Sutton, CEO, CompanDX.

"Clients are looking for our help to support their clinical development programmes either by reducing the complexity of genomic or proteomic data or by proving innovative MDx tests that will allow them to stratify clinical trials.  CRL brings a level of expertise in the design and delivery of MDx tests that ideally compliments our innovative approach."

CRL's Executive Director of Molecular Diagnostics, Dr. Heather Fehling agrees, "CRL and CompanDX created a powerful team to help meet client's challenges in identifying meaningful biomarker panels and developing novel MDx testing for those panels.  CRL is excited to link its years of CLIA-certified laboratory experience with CompanDX's cutting edge bioinformatics tools to create a unique team offering quality molecular services."

CompanDX's bioinformatics technology will be exhibited at CRL's Booth #630 at the Molecular Medicine Tri-Conference in San Francisco from February 23-25, 2011. CompanDX will also present three posters at the main Tri-Conference, describing novel "Time to Event" breast cancer and "Effect Based" TB tests and an innovative systems biology tool "Therapy Distiller."  In addition, Adam Gouldsworthy, Ph.D., Business Development Manager, CompanDX is presenting a talk, ""Distilling" Personalized Medicine – From Biomarker Discovery to "Time-to-Event Prognostics" at the Early Oncology Partnering Forum in San Francisco on February 21 at 3.26 p.m.