Covance has entered into a biomarker alliance and services agreement with Rules-Based Medicine (RBM). As per the terms of the agreement, Covance is expected to use RBM as its exclusive third-party provider of multiplexed protein biomarker testing services, and RBM will use Covance as its exclusive referral source for laboratory testing services.
Deborah Tanner, corporate senior vice president and president of Covance Central Laboratory Services, said: “RBM’s biomarker technology platform, combined with Covance’s recent acquisitions and alliances in biomarkers and genomics, strengthens our ability to provide comprehensive biomarker discovery, verification, validation, and deployment in both the preclinical and clinical setting. These innovative technologies are critical tools for drug safety and efficacy testing, which help enable our clients to make better decisions and accelerate their drug development programs.”
Craig Benson, president and CEO at RBM, said: “Comprehensive, accurate, and reproducible biomarker testing can improve drug development programs by stratifying clinical trial subjects and providing sensitive measurements of drug safety and efficacy. By leveraging Covance’s central laboratory along with RBM’s multiplexing capabilities, we aim to help pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies enhance the effectiveness and success of their clinical trials.”