Dako and Merck Sharp and Dohme agree cancer assay deal

Dako has signed a master framework agreement with Merck Sharp and Dohme pertaining to the development of companion diagnostic tests for new oncology therapies.

The deal will see Dako – a subsidiary of Agilent Technologies – work to create assays that will help to identify patients who would be most likely to benefit from treatment with cancer drugs from Merck Sharp and Dohme's pipeline.

Companion diagnostics have become an increasingly important contributor to cancer treatment, as it has been widely recognised that personalised medicine can help enhance patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

Dako already has similar partnerships with Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genentech, Lilly and Pfizer.

Jacob Thaysen, vice-president and general manager for Agilent's diagnostics and genomics business, said: "With Dako's wide experience in companion diagnostics and its expanded playing field as part of Agilent's life sciences and diagnostics group, I see great potential in this new agreement."

The company has been a part of the Agilent group since the completion of an acquisition deal in 2012.