Horizon enters into equipment manufacturing deal with CareDx

Horizon Discovery Group has entered into an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) agreement with CareDx, Inc. (“CareDx”), a molecular diagnostics company focused on the discovery, development and commercialisation of clinically differentiated, high-value, diagnostic surveillance solutions for transplant patients. 

Horizon explained in its press release issued on Wednesday that under the terms of the new agreement, it will supply cell-free DNA-based Molecular Reference Standards for inclusion in CareDx’s cfDNA testing workflows for the monitoring of transplanted organ rejection. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

The agreement is an extension of a previously announced collaboration for the development of HDx cell-free Reference Standards to support proficiency testing of CareDx’s solid organ transplant injury monitoring test, AlloSure. As Horizon is CareDx’s chosen partner for the development of reference standards, future agreements between the two companies are expected.

The lack of standardisation in molecular diagnostics is a major source of error in laboratories worldwide, with studies citing error rates as high as 30%1. To provide optimal accuracy, laboratories benefit from reference materials, such as Horizon’s HDx Reference Standards, that reflect patient samples and are renewable, consistent and reproducible, said the company.

Dr. Darrin M. Disley, Chief Executive Officer, Horizon Discovery,commented: “The inclusion of Horizon’s Reference Standards as a routine tool used by CareDx demonstrates that Horizon is becoming a trusted provider of controls in the liquid biopsy space, and that they are equally valuable for applications beyond oncology. This agreement further validates Horizon’s strategy of entering into early development programmes with assay service providers and kit vendors, and working closely with them to forge long-term relationships and establish ongoing OEM-based revenue streams.”  

Dr. John J. Sninsky, Chief Scientific Officer, CareDx, commented: “At CareDx, it is our goal to accelerate patient access to high quality clinical data using next-generation sequencing technology. Our ongoing partnership with Horizon is an important part of this effort, and our confidence has only increased with their having successfully driven this programme to completion and inclusion in our testing workflow.”