Clinical Data's intent is to develop a therapeutic diagnostic for a response to rituximab in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Rituximab is approved for use in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis.
It is expected that variation in this gene will also play an important role in determining response to other monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.
Published research indicates that a pharmacogenetic test based on variation in the gene will have specificity of over 90% for predicting response to rituximab in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This test will help physicians determine who is most likely respond to rituximab.
Clinical Data said they planned to launch the test at the start of 2007.