Genomic Health has entered into an exclusive agreement with Palex Medical, an Europian distributor of medical device and diagnostic services, to distribute its Oncotype DX breast cancer test in Spain and Portugal.
The distribution agreement, announced in conjunction with positive data presented at the 7th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC), further expands the global presence of Oncotype DX, providing for increased physician and patient access to this advanced diagnostic test in the European market.
The Oncotype DX breast cancer test measures the expression of 21 genes of an individual tumor to generate a Recurrence Score result that quantifies the magnitude of chemotherapy benefit and the likelihood of recurrence for early-stage breast cancer patients. In addition, in January 2010, Genomic Health had launched its Oncotype DX colon cancer test, the first multigene expression test commercially available that has been clinically validated to predict risk of recurrence in patients with stage II colon cancer.
Xavier Carbonell, CEO of Palex Medical, said: “The Oncotype DX breast cancer test is supported by robust clinical evidence confirming its beneficial role in providing valuable insight beyond traditional measures to help guide treatment decisions for individual breast cancer patients. This agreement complements Palex’s commitment to bring personalized medicine to our customers in Spain and Portugal.”
Jim Vaughn, vice president of international sales and marketing at Genomic Health, said: “As the Oncotype DX breast cancer test gains recognition as standard of care in the US, our commitment to deliver its benefits to patients around the world continues to grow. We believe this relationship with Palex will make Oncotype DX more widely available to physicians and patients in Spain and Portugal.”