Sysmex Inostics and Bayer HealthCare Collaborate to Develop Blood-based Companion Diagnostic Tests for Targeted Tumor Therapies

Sysmex Inostics and Bayer HealthCareSysmex Inostics and Bayer HealthCare Collaborate to Develop Blood-based Companion Diagnostic Tests for Targeted Tumor Therapies PR Newswire HAMBURG, Germany, October 9, 2013 Sysmex Inostics, a subsidiary of Sysmex Corporation, today announced a master collaboration agreement with Bayer HealthCare for the development of companion diagnostics for targeted cancer therapies. The partnership pairs Sysmex Inostics' innovative blood-based companion diagnostic solutions with targeted anti-cancer agents developed by Bayer. "We are pleased to partner with Bayer HealthCare, a global company with an extensive drug development expertise and a broadening oncology franchise, to advance new targeted therapies for cancer patients," said Frank Diehl, CSO of Sysmex Inostics. "With our innovative technology for blood-based companion diagnostics we will open up new possibilities in personalized medicine together with Bayer." Companion diagnostic tests are designed to analyze the specific molecular characteristics of a patient's tumor to help guide treatment decisions. The tests will provide evidence which patients are more likely to respond to a particular anti-cancer agent. Under the master collaboration agreement, Sysmex Inostics will develop blood-based diagnostic tests based on its BEAMing technology.