Roche to provide diagnostic tools for Merck Sharpe and Dohme

Roche has agreed a deal with fellow healthcare company Merck Sharpe and Dohme to supply diagnostic tests for use in cancer drug development.

The agreement will see Roche providing validated, standardised assays for use in clinical oncology programmes being conducted by Merck for an undisclosed fee.

Included in the new arrangement is an expansion of the use of Roche's investigational AmpliChip p53 assay to identify patients for inclusion in clinical trials, based on which subjects are most likely to respond positively to treatment.

Paul Brown, head of Roche Molecular Diagnostics, said this deal will strengthen the company's standing in the personalised healthcare market.

"Roche hopes that, through our joint efforts, we will be able to provide companion diagnostic tests which lead to better solutions for patients worldwide," he added.

According to the company's most recent financial report, Roche saw its diagnostics division achieve an above-market growth rate in the first quarter of 2011.