HeimBiotek, Successful Development of Companion Diagnostic for Anticancer Drug Irinotecan
HeimBiotek announced on the 1st that it has successfully developed a companion diagnostic (CDx) for irinotecan, the most prescribed anticancer drug for solid tumors in cancer patients, utilizing Specific Bi-Direction-Extension (SBDE) technology. The newly developed CDx kit for irinotecan allows simultaneous detection and analysis of the heterozygous and homozygous forms of patient gene 'UGT1A1' variants *6 (SNP) and *28 (TA repeat sequence variation) in a single PCR tube, a global first.
Irinotecan is commonly prescribed for cancers such as gastric, lung, and colorectal cancers, but dosing and prescription must consider the patient's genotype. Patients with genotypes that can cause adverse reactions to irinotecan may experience severe diarrhea due to damage to the intestinal mucosa post-drug administration, and in some cases, may even lead to sepsis and death.
A representative from HeimBiotek explained, "Incorrect administration of irinotecan can tragically result in patients suffering fatal adverse effects from the drug they received to treat their cancer, highlighting an ironic situation." They added, "For this reason, the US FDA and European CE recommend companion diagnostics through UGT1A1 gene analysis before prescribing irinotecan." Furthermore, they emphasized, "HeimBiotek now offers a much simpler and cost-effective method for irinotecan companion diagnostics compared to traditional parallel experimental analysis using multiple PCR tubes or genetic sequencing methods."
This content is partially excerpted from a news article.