Bristol-Myers
Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) and QIAGEN
(NASDAQ:QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard:QIA) have signed an agreement to
explore the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology to
develop gene expression profiles (GEPs) as predictive or prognostic
tools for use with Bristol-Myers Squibb novel immuno-oncology (I-O)
therapies in cancer treatment. This will leverage the combination of
Bristol-Myers Squibb’s portfolio of I-O therapies with QIAGEN’s proven
track record in developing and commercializing companion and
complementary diagnostics as well as QIAGEN’s portfolio of NGS
technologies. I-O therapies offer a novel way to treat cancer by using
drugs to target the body’s immune system to help fight cancer.
QIAGEN and Bristol-Myers Squibb intend to develop GEPs for several
Bristol-Myers Squibb I-O molecules under the initial agreement. The
companies also plan to enter into a further agreement to develop
diagnostic products using the jointly developed GEPs and to expand the
use of NGS technology with other Bristol-Myers Squibb I-O therapies.
“Greater precision in the treatment of cancer may enable faster decision
making to identify which patient populations are most likely to derive
benefit from our immuno-oncology agents,” said Fouad Namouni, M.D., head
of Development, Oncology, Bristol-Myers Squibb. “We believe working with
QIAGEN will help develop better diagnostic tools to target the most
appropriate immunotherapies across a number of different tumor types.”
“We are very pleased to work with Bristol-Myers Squibb to potentially
create what could be the first-ever NGS-based companion or complementary
diagnostic to provide key insights for personalized decision-making in
the rapidly expanding area of immuno-oncology,” said Peer M. Schatz,
Chief Executive Officer of QIAGEN. “Our teams at QIAGEN are looking
forward to working with Bristol-Myers Squibb to leverage the power of
NGS technology to potentially improve outcomes for patients.”
QIAGEN and Bristol-Myers Squibb have been partnering since 2009. A key
milestone in this partnership was the FDA approval of the Therascreen KRAS
companion/complementary diagnostic assay in 2012.
Bristol-Myers Squibb & Immuno-Oncology: Advancing Oncology Research
At Bristol-Myers Squibb, patients are at the center of everything we do.
Our vision for the future of cancer care is focused on researching and
developing transformational Immuno-Oncology (I-O) medicines for
hard-to-treat cancers that could potentially improve outcomes for these
patients.
We are leading the scientific understanding of I-O through our extensive
portfolio of investigational compounds and approved agents. Our
differentiated clinical development program is studying broad patient
populations across more than 50 types of cancers with 14 clinical-stage
molecules designed to target different immune system pathways. Our deep
expertise and innovative clinical trial designs position us to advance
I-O/I-O, I-O/chemotherapy, I-O/targeted therapies and I-O/radiation
therapies across multiple tumors and potentially deliver the next wave
of therapies with a sense of urgency. We also continue to pioneer
research that will help facilitate a deeper understanding of the role of
immune biomarkers and how patients’ individual tumor biology can be used
as a guide for treatment decisions throughout their journey.
We understand making the promise of I-O a reality for the many patients
who may benefit from these therapies requires not only innovation on our
part but also close collaboration with leading experts in the field. Our
partnerships with academia, government, advocacy and biotech companies
support our collective goal of providing new treatment options to
advance the standards of clinical practice.
QIAGEN GeneReader NGS System
The GeneReader NGS System provides the first true Sample to Insight NGS
workflow for laboratories worldwide – and increasingly also
pharmaceutical companies – to take advantage of the power of NGS
technology. The system’s integrated bioinformatics for analysis and
interpretation of NGS data, as well as a family of gene panels under the
GeneRead QIAact brand, enable laboratories to identify gene variations
linked to cancers and to deliver actionable molecular insights. The
capabilities of this unique system also include high-sensitivity
detection in liquid biopsy samples, compatibility with the QIAsymphony
automation platform for high-throughput sample processing, and software
integration with leading Laboratory Information Management Systems
(LIMS). The current version of the GeneReader NGS System is available in
the United States for research use only.
About Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission
is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help
patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about
Bristol-Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com
or follow us on LinkedIn,
Twitter,
YouTube
and Facebook.
About QIAGEN
QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands-based holding company, is the leading global
provider of Sample to Insight solutions that enable customers to gain
valuable molecular insights from samples containing the building blocks
of life. Our sample technologies isolate and process DNA, RNA and
proteins from blood, tissue and other materials. Assay technologies make
these biomolecules visible and ready for analysis. Bioinformatics
software and knowledge bases interpret data to report relevant,
actionable insights. Automation solutions tie these together in seamless
and cost-effective workflows. QIAGEN provides solutions to more than
500,000 customers around the world in Molecular Diagnostics (human
healthcare), Applied Testing (forensics, veterinary testing and food
safety), Pharma (pharma and biotech companies) and Academia (life
sciences research). As of March 31, 2017, QIAGEN employed approximately
4,700 people in over 35 locations worldwide. Further information can be
found at http://www.qiagen.com.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term
is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
regarding the research, development and commercialization of
pharmaceutical products. Such forward-looking statements are based on
current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties,
including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and
could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from
current expectations. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed.
Among other risks, there can be no guarantee that the project will
proceed as planned or that the assays or diagnostics described in this
release will be successfully developed or approved for any of the
indications described in this release. Forward-looking statements in
this press release should be evaluated together with the many
uncertainties that affect Bristol-Myers Squibb's business, particularly
those identified in the cautionary factors discussion in Bristol-Myers
Squibb's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016
in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Current Reports on Form
8-K. Bristol-Myers Squibb undertakes no obligation to publicly update
any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
QIAGEN Forward-Looking Statement
Certain statements contained in this press release may be considered
forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S.
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. To the extent that any of
the statements contained herein relating to QIAGEN's products,
collaborations markets, strategy or operating results, including without
limitation its expected adjusted net sales and adjusted diluted earnings
results, are forward-looking, such statements are based on current
expectations and assumptions that involve a number of uncertainties and
risks. Such uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to,
risks associated with management of growth and international operations
(including the effects of currency fluctuations, regulatory processes
and dependence on logistics), variability of operating results and
allocations between customer classes, the commercial development of
markets for our products to customers in academia, pharma, applied
testing and molecular diagnostics; changing relationships with
customers, suppliers and strategic partners; competition; rapid or
unexpected changes in technologies; fluctuations in demand for QIAGEN's
products (including fluctuations due to general economic conditions, the
level and timing of customers' funding, budgets and other factors); our
ability to obtain regulatory approval of our products; difficulties in
successfully adapting QIAGEN's products to integrated solutions and
producing such products; the ability of QIAGEN to identify and develop
new products and to differentiate and protect our products from
competitors' products; market acceptance of QIAGEN's new products and
the integration of acquired technologies and businesses. For further
information, please refer to the discussions in reports that QIAGEN has
filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC).
BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB Investors Tim Power, 609-252-7509 timothy.power@bms.com orBill Szablewski, 609-252-5894 william.szablewski@bms.com or Media Lisa McCormick Lavery, 609-252-7602 lisa.mccormicklavery@bms.com orKen Dominski, 609-252-5251 ken.dominski@bms.com or QIAGEN Investor Relations John Gilardi, +49 2103 29 11711 ir@QIAGEN.com or Public Relations Dr. Thomas Theuringer, +49 2103 29 11826 pr@QIAGEN.com