Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics and Pfizer have entered into a master collaboration agreement to design, develop and commercialize diagnostic tests for therapeutic products across Pfizer’s pipeline.
Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, Siemens will be one of Pfizer's collaboration partners to develop and provide in vitro diagnostic tests for use in clinical studies and, potentially, eventual global commercialization with Pfizer products.
Siemens said that the partnership will leverage its worldwide leadership in providing clinical diagnostic solutions for hospital and reference laboratories, specialty laboratories and point-of-care settings (including clinics and physician offices) to help enable diagnostics development.
Under the master collaboration agreement, the Siemens Clinical Laboratory will develop the companion diagnostic tests.
Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics division strategy and innovations senior vice president Trevor Hawkins noted the company's relationship with Pfizer marks a major milestone in Siemens' personalized medicine strategy.
"We look forward to collaborating with Pfizer to realize the goal of advancing innovative solutions that change the way patient care is delivered and, together, shape the future of diagnostic medicine," Dr Hawkins added.
Companion diagnostic tests are clinical tests linked to a specific drug or therapy intended to assist physicians in making more informed and personalized treatment decisions for their patients.
Companion diagnostics, when used in the drug development process, may help pharmaceutical companies improve patient selection and treatment monitoring, determine the preferred therapy dosing for patients, and establish a protocol to help maximize the treatment benefit for patients.
