WuXi partners to boost biomarkers
Biomarker use has risen as companies seek to reduce the attrition rate, cutting overall development times and costs, by selecting the most promising candidates at the preclinical stage.
This has driven contract research organisations (CRO) to bolster their biomarker capabilities, with Covance, Quintiles and Icon all expanding their operations in the past six months.
WuXi is now strengthening its position through the deal with Qiagen. The partnership will be based at WuXi’s campus is Shanghai, China, with Qiagen providing the necessary instrumentation, training and consumables.
Victor Shi, Qiagen’s Asia-Pacific president, believes this may be the first laboratory of its kind in Asia to be equipped with a standardised, fully integrated, automated sample and assay technology platform.
WuXi will use this laboratory on sponsors’ drug discovery and development programmes, as well as molecular diagnostics in personalised healthcare.
Furthermore, the companies will collaborate on the development of biomarkers, assay panels, personalised healthcare diagnostics and other products that Qiagen is planning to bring to market.
WuXi and Qiagen will also co-promote each other’s services to their clients and are looking for further opportunities to expand and strengthen their relationship.
Biomarker market to be worth $20.5bn by 2014
In a 2009 report Markets and Markets predicted that the global biomarker market, covering tools and services, will be worth $20.5bn (€14.1bn) by 2014, achieving a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.7 per cent from 2009 to 2014.
More specifically, the biomarker services market will have a CAGR of 22.2 per cent over the period, driven primarily by increased use in clinical services.
