Lung cancer diagnostic developer Biodesix has moved to take over the U.S. operations of London-based Oncimmune, maker of a test that searches for early signs of tumors by profiling the immune system.
Effective Nov. 1, the transfer will include Oncimmune’s laboratory in De Soto, Kansas, the company’s sole U.S. provider of its EarlyCDT blood-based lung test, used to determine the malignancy of incidental pulmonary nodules. The proteomic test measures seven autoantibodies to tumor-associated antigens created by the body’s response to cancer, the companies said.
According to Oncimmune, the partnership represents a value of up to $28 million over five years, with Biodesix making commercial milestone payments. In return, Oncimmune will collaborate with Biodesix on future R&D projects.
Where Biodesix’s previous offerings, such as its Nodify XL2 test, have been designed to rule out malignancy in low-to-moderate risk nodules—with the goal of sparing patients from a lung biopsy—Oncimmune’s antibody test aims to rule-in nodules as a cancer risk, according to Biodesix CEO David Brunel.
“The Nodify XL2 and EarlyCDT Lung tests complement each other to help provide physicians with the ability to stratify patients into distinct nodule management pathways,” said Scott Hutton, COO of Biodesix. The company estimates about 1.6 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with incidental lung nodules each year, with most being benign.
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The EarlyCDT test has also been studied in lung cancer screening, and recently met its primary endpoint in a large study of over 12,200 participants, according to the companies. The companies expect full results to be published later this year, with Oncimmune granting Biodesix the rights to commercialize the test for lung cancer screening in the U.S.