Thermo Fisher Scientific to develop diagnostic test with Novartis and Pfizer

Thermo Fisher Scientific has signed a development agreement for a next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based companion diagnostic test.

The company will work with Novartis and Pfizer to develop and commercialise the oncology test, which will serve as a companion diagnostic for non-small cell lung cancer across multiple drug development programmes.

It will be developed using Thermo Fisher's Ion PGM Dx System and Oncomine assays and will provide a universal platform for enabling potential new clinical indications for existing drugs and the development of possible new therapies for other indications in future.

This will aid the companies' efforts to broaden their capabilities in personalised medicine, an emerging field centred on providing patients with therapies that are tailored to their specific biological profiles and needs.

Mark Stevenson, president of life sciences solutions for Thermo Fisher Scientific, said: "We look forward to building upon our ongoing collaboration with Novartis and Pfizer to lead the efforts in building potential novel NGS testing approaches to advance the future of cancer care."