Eurofins' US Transplant Diagnostics and Cleveland Clinic Sign a Licensing Agreement to Expand Access to an Innovative, Novel Biomarker for Detecting Rejection in Kidney Transplant Patients
LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo., Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Eurofins Viracor, a leading infectious disease, immunology, and allergy diagnostics company focused on advancing diagnostic tests for transplant patients, announced today that it has entered into a license agreement with Cleveland Clinic for exclusive rights to an innovative urine biomarker test for detecting rejection in kidney transplant patients.
Detecting transplant rejection before damage to the transplanted kidney occurs remains a major unmet need. Additionally, diagnosing clinical acute rejection (cAR) without a biopsy and distinguishing cAR from other non-rejection causes of dysfunction remains a challenge for the transplant community.
The number of kidney transplants steadily rises each year in the United States(1) with nearly 20 percent of transplants failing within three years(2). This highlights the critical need for solutions that will address patient impact and the growing cost of medical treatment associated with kidney transplant complications.
Through years of basic and clinical research, Robert Fairchild, Ph.D., Cleveland Clinic in collaboration with Roslyn Mannon, MD, University of Alabama, have identified a number of RNA molecules in urine that are highly accurate for the diagnosis of rejection and elevated risk of rejection in kidney transplant patients. As a specimen type, urine is a readily available, non-invasive, and convenient sample for patients.
Eurofins Viracor laboratory and Dr. Fairchild will work collaboratively to begin the critical process of sharing expertise and methods developed at Cleveland Clinic with the long-term goal of validating the novel, innovative diagnostic assay for use in patient testing.
With the combined transplant diagnostics portfolio of Eurofins Viracor laboratory and Transplant Genomics, Inc. innovative, non-invasive testing for subclinical rejection, this strategic collaboration marks another critical step in Eurofins' US Transplant Diagnostics' mission in improving graft and transplant outcomes, prolonging the life of a kidney, and addressing additional unmet needs across the continuum of transplant patient care.
About Viracor
With over 30 years of specialised expertise in infectious disease, immunology and allergy testing for immunocompromised and critical patients, Viracor Eurofins is committed to delivering results to medical professionals, transplant teams, reference laboratories and biopharmaceutical companies faster, when it matters most. Eurofins Viracor is passionate about delivering value to its clients by providing timely, actionable information, never losing sight of the connection between the testing it performs and the patients it ultimately serves.
Eurofins Viracor is a subsidiary of Eurofins Scientific (EUFI.PA), a global leader in bio-analytical testing, and one of the world leaders in genomic services. For more information, please visit https://www.eurofins.com/ and https://www.viracor-eurofins.com/ .
About Eurofins - the global leader in bio-analysis
Eurofins is Testing for Life. Eurofins is a global leader in food, environment, pharmaceutical and cosmetic product testing and in agroscience Contract Research Organisation services. Eurofins is one of the market leaders in certain testing and laboratory services for genomics, discovery pharmacology, forensics, advanced material sciences and in the support of clinical studies, as well as having an emerging global presence in Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisations. The Group also has a rapidly developing presence in highly specialised and molecular clinical diagnostic testing and in-vitro diagnostic products.
With over 50,000 staff across a decentralised and entrepreneurial network of more than 800 laboratories in over 50 countries, Eurofins offers a portfolio of over 200,000 analytical methods to evaluate the safety, identity, composition, authenticity, origin, traceability and purity of a wide range of products, as well as providing innovative clinical diagnostic testing services and in-vitro diagnostic products.
The Group's objective is to provide its customers with high-quality services, innovative solutions and accurate results on time. Eurofins is ideally positioned to support its clients' increasingly stringent quality and safety standards and the increasing demands of regulatory authorities as well as the requirements of healthcare practitioners around the world.
In 2020, Eurofins reacted quickly to meet the global challenge of COVID-19, by creating the capacity for over 10 million patient tests per month to support efforts to identify and suppress the virus. The Group has established widespread PCR testing capabilities and has carried out over 10 million tests in its own laboratories, is supporting the development of a number of vaccines and has established its SAFER@WORK(TM) testing, monitoring and consulting programmes to help ensure safer environments during COVID-19.
Eurofins has grown very strongly since its inception and its strategy is to continue expanding its technology portfolio and its geographic reach. Through R&D and acquisitions, the Group draws on the latest developments in the field of biotechnology and analytical chemistry to offer its clients unique analytical solutions.
Shares in Eurofins Scientific are listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN FR0014000MR3, Reuters EUFI.PA, Bloomberg ERF FP).
1. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network
2. National Kidney Foundation
SOURCE Eurofins Viracor, Inc.
