SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Molecular Response (MRL), a privately held molecular diagnostic services company and a leader in the identification of target populations for high value therapeutics, announced today an agreement with OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., significantly expanding the companies’ successful pilot program to develop unique patient-derived tumor xenografts (PDX), through the use of Molecular Response’s proprietary ‘living’ cell bank of primary tumor cells.
OncoMed is a privately held clinical development stage biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics that target the biologic pathways critical to tumor initiating cells, also known as "cancer stem cells." Under the terms of the agreement, the collaboration will deliver molecularly characterized PDX models for multiple cancer indications, with full utilization of Molecular Response’s highly optimized pre-screening and characterization methodologies. This will allow OncoMed to expand their already extensive bank of proprietary xenograft models derived from freshly resected human cancers based on the molecular profile of the tumors as well as complement OncoMed’s existing biomarker and patient selection efforts. Financial terms of the collaboration were not disclosed.
“The expansion of our tumor bank in this selective manner will enhance our efforts of developing predictive biomarkers alongside the development of our anti-cancer stem cell therapeutics,” said Paul Hastings, President and Chief Executive Officer of OncoMed Pharmaceuticals.
“Development of characterized PDX models is a natural addition to our core competencies in working with patient-derived primary tumor cells. OncoMed is a leader in cancer stem cell therapeutics and a most discerning partner in evaluation of new PDX models. The expanded collaboration with OncoMed is proof of our success and continued commitment to enable further evaluation of cancer therapeutics in better characterized models with use of our high content cell-based platforms and exclusive patient-derived primary tumor cell bank,” said Cyrus K. Mirsaidi, Molecular Response CEO.
About Molecular Response
Molecular Response is a leader in advancing targeted therapeutics through intelligently designed, clinically validated companion diagnostics. Our goal is to reduce risk and cost of therapeutic drug development for our partners by translating clinically relevant molecular response marker data into high-value knowledge while fully integrated into existing pharmaceutical development processes and programs. Our results reduce risk and cost of drug development and allow for the most informed decisions with best chance of success to advance therapeutic programs.
For additional information please visit www.molecularresponse.com.
About OncoMed, Inc.
OncoMed Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage company that discovers and develops novel therapeutics targeting cancer stem cells, the cells believed to be capable of driving tumor growth, recurrence and metastasis. A leader in cancer stem cell research, the company has established a library of antibodies to cancer stem cell proteins for the treatment of solid tumors such as pancreatic, breast, colorectal and lung cancers. OncoMed has advanced three anti- cancer stem cell monoclonal antibodies into the clinic, OMP-21M18, OMP-59R5, and OMP-18R5, which target key cancer stem cell signaling pathways including Notch and Wnt. In addition, OncoMed’s pipeline includes several novel preclinical product candidates targeting multiple validated cancer stem cell pathways. OncoMed has formed strategic alliances with Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals and GlaxoSmithKline. Privately-held, OncoMed’s investors include: US Venture Partners, Latterell Venture Partners, The Vertical Group, Morgenthaler Ventures, Phase4 Ventures, Delphi Ventures, Adams Street Partners, De Novo Ventures, Bay Partners and GlaxoSmithKline. Additional information can be found at the company’s website: www.oncomed.com.