Abbott and GSK to Collaborate on Molecular Diagnostic Test to Select Candidate Patients for Future Cancer Immunotherapy

Abbott announced today that it has entered into an agreement with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to develop an automated molecular diagnostic test, based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology, intended to screen non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors for expression of the MAGE-A3 antigen. GSK’s MAGE-A3 ASCI (Antigen Specific Cancer Immunotherapy) candidate is currently being evaluated as an adjuvant treatment in resected NSCLC in the Phase III clinical study MAGRIT, the largest lung cancer treatment study ever conducted. To be eligible to receive GSK’s MAGE A3 ASCI, patients must have MAGE-A3 expressing NSCLC tumors. MAGE-A3 is a tumor-specific antigen that is expressed in non-small cell lung cancer and a wide variety of other cancers, but not in normal cells.

Source: Abbott