Deal involves discovery of new biomarkers for predictive diagnostic applications using mass spectrometer with magnetic bead sample preparation, and software for visualisation and bioinformatics
HealthLinx and Bruker Daltonics have entered a collaboration to focus on technology transfer and cooperation to develop disease-specific assays for use in in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) research and clinical trials using Bruker Daltonics's ClinProt platform technology for clinical proteomics.
The deal involves the ongoing discovery of new biomarkers for predictive diagnostic applications using Bruker Daltonics's Autoflex Maldi-Tof mass spectrometer in combination with proprietary ClinProt magnetic bead sample preparation, and ClinProTools software for advanced visualisation and bioinformatics.
HealthLinx will apply this technology platform to develop and commercialise biomarker applications in women's health for both research and clinical diagnostics.
It is envisaged that, following validation, Australian government Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) registration of the ClinProt platform as a diagnostic pathology device will be sought.
TGA registration has effect in both Australia and New Zealand, and is valuable in Singapore and Europe.
Associate professor Greg Rice of the Baker Heart Research Institute in Melbourne, and chief scientific officer of HealthLinx, stated: "The first IVD product to be developed under the collaboration will be an ovarian cancer test that will utiliSe four biomarkers found in the serum of women with ovarian cancer, building on HealthLinx's extensive experience and core competencies in ovarian cancer biomarker panel research.
HealthLinx's chief executive officer Nick Gatsios added: "At the same time, HealthLinx has contracted Walter Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in Melbourne to develop proprietary monoclonal antibodies, which are currently being cloned and purified, specific to its biomarkers.
"These will be used to build the next generation product, for application on the Bruker Daltonics platform.
"FDA registration will be sought through industry partnerships for use as a pathology diagnostic".
Bruker Daltonics's vice president Clive Seymour stated: "We expect this agreement to be a valuable step forward in assisting the early diagnosis of different types of cancer, and in other oncological research, both in Australia and globally.
"Our ClinProt system substantially increases the ability of cancer and other clinical researchers to discover, identify and validate new mass spectrometry-based multi-marker panels with potentially higher disease specificity.
"Our ClinProt solution offers clinicians and cancer researchers a coherent, simple to use, routine workflow, delivering excellent data quality and confidence in data interpretation".
