Speciality laboratory Navigate BioPharma Services has signed a partnership with US-based Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) to advance capabilities for clinical phases of drug development.
Navigate BioPharma is an independently operating subsidiary within the Novartis group of companies. It offers biomarker and speciality bioanalytic solutions for clinical development and companion diagnostic applications.
Under the collaboration, both firms will explore the scope to develop and commercialise flow cytometry-based companion diagnostics and tools for clinical decisions. For this, they will use their complementary expertise and capabilities.
The partnership is expected to provide complete solutions for pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms engaged in the development of therapies that need companion diagnostics, tests meant to match patients with life-changing treatments, and crucial clinical trial applications.
Navigate BioPharma said that the partnership aims to offer integrated solutions from method development through commercialisation for the clinical trial field.
BD biosciences clinical flow solutions VP Vipin Bhambhani said: “The collaboration will combine Navigate BioPharma’s extensive experience in designing and validating biomarker assays for clinical trials and regulatory submissions with the broad BD portfolio of flow cytometry instruments, reagents, software, and IVD development services, to potentially accelerate the delivery of innovative personalised therapies to patients who need them most.”
Both parties intend to partner with biopharma businesses to expedite the delivery of customised therapies to patients by using biomarker-based assays.
Navigate BioPharma and BD will also aim to meet the demand for high-sensitivity minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring assays.
The speciality laboratory said that both parties will also offer flexible and integrated solutions to help collaborators achieve their clinical and regulatory goals.
Besides, they will help biopharma firms to expand their range of therapeutic options and biomarkers that can be analysed.
Another aim of the partnership is to increase the effectiveness of biomarker profiling and improve the quality and efficiency of the companion diagnostic development process.
Navigate BioPharma chief scientific officer Shabnam Tangri said: “Advances in flow cytometry technology made by BD can enable in vitro diagnostics (IVD) testing to be executed with accuracy, automation and standardisation across all elements of the workflow.”
