Johnson and Johnson company product wins award

Johnson and Johnson company Veridex has revealed that its CellSearch Circulating Tumour Cell (CTC) Test has been given the first-ever Prix Galien 2009 award for best medical technology.

Designed to automate the capture and detection of CTCs – tumor cells that have detached from solid tumours and entered the patient’s blood ? the equipment assesses CTCs to determine the prognosis and overall survival of patients with metastatic breast, colorectal or prostate cancer at any time during the course of treatment.

Michael Samoszuk, chief medical officer of Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, said: “The Prix Galien recognition further supports the important role CellSearch technology plays in providing oncologists with an additional tool to help them provide optimum care for their patients.”

Veridex provides physicians with in vitro diagnostic oncology products.

Another subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, signed an agreement with Crucell last week for the joint development of monoclonal antibodies and vaccines for the treatment and prevention of influenza.