Merck Serono and Sysmex Inostics open biomarker testing centre in Spain

Merck Serono and Sysmex Inostics have opened their first liquid biopsy RAS biomarker testing centre at Vall d'Hebron's Institute of Oncology in Barcelona.

The Spanish facility becomes the first hospital to use liquid biopsy RAS biomarker testing technology, a simple and rapid approach for determining the RAS mutation status of tumours via a single blood sample, rather than a tissue biopsy or surgical procedure.

It will initially test patients as part of its research programme, allowing it to evolve its understanding of which patients will benefit most from targeted treatment. This is an important step towards making the test available to patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Further laboratories will be established throughout 2015, including at locations in Australia, France, Germany, Italy and the UK.

Belen Garijo, member of the executive board and chief executive officer for healthcare at Merck Serono's parent company Merck KGaA, said: "Within less than one year of announcing our collaboration with Sysmex Inostics, we are already making significant progress in bringing this new liquid biopsy RAS biomarker test to patients to one of Europe's leading oncology centres."

Merck Serono's new liquid biopsy RAS biomarker test is expected to receive CE Mark approval in the coming months and will make it easier to identify patients who are likely to respond to its colorectal cancer drug Erbitux.