Exact Sciences Corp., a developer of a DNA test for colorectal cancer, has announced it is expanding its collaboration and license agreement with Mayo Clinic, with whom it developed the test, according to a news release and Post-Bulletin report.
The test — called Cologuard — is in clinical trials.
Exact and Mayo Clinic originally signed a collaboration agreement in 2009 providing Exact exclusive rights to the intellectual property developed by Mayo Clinic researcher David Ahlquist, MD, and his Minnesota lab. The new agreement expands this deal to include all gastrointestinal cancers and diseases, and new cancer screening applications of stool- and blood-based testing.
Exact will maintain rights to commercialize breakthroughs that result from the collaboration.
"Our collaboration with Mayo Clinic and Dr. Ahlquist has been extraordinarily productive, culminating in the Cologuard marker panel that will be used in our DeeP-C clinical trial and commercialized when it's approved by the FDA," said Kevin T. Conroy, Exact Sciences' president and chief executive, in the release. "We are pleased to significantly expand our strong, fruitful relationship with Dave and his colleagues. We expect it to continue to produce breakthroughs that can positively affect patients."
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