Shares in CelLBxHealth PLC (AIM:CLBX, NSX:ANPCY, OTCQB:ANPCF) climbed 7% to 1.93p after the company unveiled a collaboration with Qiagen designed to bring its Parsortix circulating tumour cell platform to a wider range of pharmaceutical partners.
The agreement gives Qiagen the ability to bundle Parsortix into projects alongside its own molecular technologies, including polymerase chain reaction, digital polymerase chain reaction and next-generation sequencing.
The two companies say this will support drug-development work, biomarker discovery and early efforts to assess whether a companion diagnostic might be viable.
Qiagen will also be able to sign contracts directly with drugmakers and then outsource circulating tumour cell analysis to CellBxHealth.
The planned projects will combine Parsortix with Qiagen’s analysis tools to help produce a clearer picture of tumour behaviour and treatment response.
The partners have agreed to jointly promote their technologies and are exploring ways to weave Qiagen’s automated DNA extraction and sequencing systems into the Parsortix workflow. The deal also leaves room for a co-developed diagnostic product further down the line.
Circulating tumour cell testing offers a so-called liquid biopsy, a blood-based alternative to traditional tissue sampling that can provide an ongoing view of tumour changes.
CellBxHealth believes closer integration with Qiagen’s technologies will help speed adoption of the approach in oncology research and development.
Chief executive Peter Collins said the agreement “marks an important step in extending the commercial and scientific reach of our Parsortix platform” and supports the company’s strategy to expand its role in precision medicine.