Debiopharm Group(TM) and Biocartis Embark on a Partnership Aiming at Enhancing Personalized Medicine

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, April 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Debiopharm Group(TM) (Debiopharm), a Swiss-based global biopharmaceutical group of companies with a focus on the development of innovative prescription drugs that target unmet medical needs, and which has embarked in the field of companion diagnostics with a view to progressing in the area of personalized medicine, today announced the signature of an investment agreement with Biocartis. Financial details are not disclosed. The two partners will furthermore cooperate in the field of companion diagnostics linked to the therapies developed by Debiopharm (in the oncology and infectious diseases areas). Debiopharm's contribution will be in the field of biomarkers, whilst Biocartis will use its recently created molecular diagnostic platform

"Debiopharm understood a while ago the increasingly important role that companion diagnostics would play in the future" said Thierry Mauvernay, executive vice-president of Debiopharm Group, who added:"we are extremely happy not only to have started a new financial partnership with a start-up company, but also to start a cooperation in an area that is extremely relevant and promising from the perspective of personalized medicine and of the responsible use of financial resources. Biocartis, an early stage start-up company, has all the necessary strengths and management know-how to become a leading player in the field of in-vitro-diagnostics. Its potential combined with the disruptive technology it has created is perfectly in line with Debiopharm's own efforts at the frontline of innovation in life-sciences at large".

About the platform and its benefits

The platform at stake, which Biocartis recently acquired from Royal Philips Electronics (Philips), combines the strengths of Philips and Biocartis in the health sciences. It will make rapid, fully-automated DNA/RNA molecular diagnostic testing possible. It has been designed for applications in a wide range of patient sample testing, including oncology and infectious diseases.

Starting from a single, low-volume clinical sample, the platform has the potential to perform a simultaneous determination (i.e. multiplexed analysis) of the presence and quantity of a large variety of different biological molecules, such as DNA, RNA, proteins, hence a gain of time.

Biocartis' open and versatile platform is designed to pave the way to develop and commercialize a wide range of low to highly-multiplexed test applications with superior sensitivity and specificity, at lower cost per targeted bio-analyte and with faster turnaround times.

Biocartis' platform procedure is fully automated, which will potentially eliminate the risk of human errors.

Last but not least, Biocartis' platform makes analyses possible at the point of care, thus providing a high level of accessibility compared to existing solutions.

About personalized medicine

Personalized medicine aims at adapting medical treatments to groups of patients. It is in broad terms about providing the right (or effective) treatment at the right time to the right patient. It is thus also about avoiding the administration of drugs to patients who are not likely to respond. "Personalized medicine" should be differentiated from "individualized medicine". The individualization of the treatment is done by the physician. One of the potential benefits of personalized medicine is that it can lead to more cost-effective therapies thanks to the use of more precise diagnostic procedures.

About Biocartis

Biocartis is a molecular diagnostics company developing a new, broadly applicable, bio-analytical platform that is particularly suited for the emerging needs of personalized medicine, in particular the need to detect and quantify a growing number of biomarkers. Biocartis aims to address the global demand for a more cost-effective healthcare. For more information on

Biocartis, please visit: http://www.biocartis.com/cms/

About Debiopharm Group(TM)

Debiopharm Group(TM) (Debiopharm) is a Swiss-based global biopharmaceutical group of companies with a focus on the development of prescription drugs that target unmet medical needs. The group in-licenses, develops and/or co-develops promising biological and small molecule drug candidates having reached clinical development phases I, II or III. Debiopharm is also prepared to consider earlier stage candidates. It develops its products for global registration and maximum commercial potential. The products are out-licensed to pharmaceutical partners for sales and marketing. Besides drug development, Debiopharm Group has recently embarked in the field of companion diagnostics with a view to progressing in the area of personalized medicine

Debiopharm independently funds the worldwide development of all of its products while providing expertise in pre-clinical and clinical trials, manufacturing, drug delivery and formulation, and regulatory affairs.

For more information on Debiopharm Group(TM), please visit: http://www.debiopharm.com

    Debiopharm S.A. Contact
    Maurice Wagner
    Director Corporate Affairs & Communication
    Tel.: +41-(0)21-321-01-11
    Fax: +41-(0)21-321-01-69
    [email protected]

    Additional Media Contacts

    In London
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    In New York
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    Martina Schwarzkopf, Ph.D.
    Account Executive
    Tel: +1-212-845-4292
    Fax: +1-212-845-4260
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SOURCE The Debiopharm Group