Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LabCorp) has announced the nationwide availability of QIAGEN’s therascreen KRAS RGQ PCR kit, a new US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved companion diagnostic for certain colorectal cancer patients.
The therascreen KRAS test is the only FDA-approved companion diagnostic for use with ERBITUX (cetuximab), for patients with KRAS mutation-negative (wild type) epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expressing metastatic colorectal cancer, the company claims.
The test is available through LabCorp under the name KRAS gene mutation analysis, colorectal cancer (CRC).
By using the therascreen KRAS test, physicians can identify patients who would benefit from treatment with ERBITUX.
LabCorp chief medical officer Dr Mark Brecher noted the availability of this FDA-approved companion diagnostic for clinicians treating colorectal cancer is an important advance in personalized medicine.
"LabCorp continues to introduce new laboratory tests that use genetic information to give healthcare providers diagnostically significant information to assist them in providing their patients the most appropriate therapy," Dr Brecher added.