Hospira to provide Theradiag’s LISA TRACKER infliximab monitoring kits jointly with biosimilar Inflectra® in Europe, Canada and Australia
Croissy-Beaubourg and Montpellier, May 20, 2015 – Theradiag (ISIN: FR0004197747, Ticker: ALTER), a company specializing in theranostics and in vitro diagnostics, announced today that it has entered into a partnership agreement with Hospira regarding the supply of LISA-TRACKER’s CE-marked infliximab monitoring kit. To give clinicians and patients the highest level of biological information regarding the treatment with the biosimilar of infliximab, Hospira will be providing LISA TRACKER’s infliximab assays and anti-infliximab antibodies assays kits in tenders awarded in Europe, Canada and Australia. Hospira has selected Theradiag as its exclusive provider of monitoring tools. Theradiag will supply Hospira with LISA TRACKER monitoring kits and will also ensure installation and training in laboratories and provide information and follow-up with clinicians on behalf of Hospira. LISA TRACKER’s infliximab kits have been validated for use with Inflectra®. “This partnership agreement marks a significant change in how pharmaceutical companies view theranostics and a formidable opportunity to promote the monitoring of biotherapies. For the first time, a pharmaceutical company will be pairing our monitoring kits with their treatments. This will build greater awareness within the medical and patients’ community regarding the benefits of biotherapy monitoring, which improve patient care while cutting healthcare spending. We anticipate this will also have a very favorable impact on future sales of LISA TRACKER” commented Michel Finance, Chief Executive Officer of Theradiag. Hospira commercializes Inflectra®, the first biosimilar monoclonal antibody to be approved by the European Medicines Agency. It is a biologic equivalent to infliximab (Remicade®), which is indicated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Remicade® generated 10.1 billion dollars worldwide sales in 2014[1]. About biosimilars A biosimilar is a biologic medical product approved based on a showing that it is highly similar and interchangeable with another biological medicine that has already been authorized for use, and has lost patent protection. Since biosimilars cost an estimated 20% to 30% less than reference biologics[2], reports estimate that biosimilars could cut healthcare spending in the European Union by up to $33 billion by 2020[3]. About Theradiag Capitalizing on its expertise in the distribution, development and manufacturing of in vitro diagnostic tests, Theradiag innovates and develops theranostics tests (combining treatment and diagnosis) that measure the efficiency of biotherapies in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, cancer and AIDS. Theradiag notably markets the Lisa Tracker range (CE marked), which is a comprehensive multiparameter theranostic solution for patients with autoimmune diseases treated with biotherapies. With its subsidiary Prestizia, Theradiag is developing new biomarkers based on microRNAs for the diagnosis and monitoring of rectal cancer and HIV/AIDS. Theradiag is thus participating in the development of “customized treatment”, which favors the individualization of treatments, the evaluation of their efficacy and the prevention of drug resistance. The Company is based in Marne-la-Vallée, near Paris, and in Montpellier, and has over 70 employees. For more information about Theradiag, please visit our website: www.theradiag.com
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Press Caroline Carmagnol +33 6 64 18 99 59 theradiag@alizerp.com [1] Datamonitor estimate
[2] Hirsch BR, Lyman GH. Biosimilars: are they ready for primetime in the United States? J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2011;9: 934–943.