Biomnis launches a test to determine the toxicity risk of widely-used chemotherapy

Biomnis, a leading specialty clinical diagnostics laboratory group in Europe, and a subsidiary of Eurofins Scientific, announces the launch of a protocol for pharmacogenetics tests following the creation of a cancer treatment partnership with Onco Drug Personalized Medicine (ODPM).

ODPM has developed a protocol that can help patients avoid certain severe toxic effects that can be caused by chemotherapy treatments. These innovative pharmacogenetic tests are exclusively performed by Biomnis laboratories in France.

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), from the Fluoropyrimidine family, is one of the main cancer treatments used in over 60% of cancers (gastrointestinal, ENT, breast, etc). However, using these molecules can cause many, occasionally severe, toxic effects. These toxic effects are due to overexposure to the drug linked to inter-individual variations in metabolic rates. The protocol is based on two complementary approaches to avoiding the severe toxic effects that can be caused by treatments with 5-FU during chemotherapy:

-         5-FUODPM Tox™  - a test to detect patients with a high toxicity risk.

-         5-FUODPM Protocol™ - a test that can be performed throughout treatment, using a simple blood test, to ensure that the circulating quantity of 5-FU is appropriate for the patient, and enables dose adjustment as required.

Biomnis and ODPM have created the partnership as part of a common desire to develop personalised treatment in order to provide reliable and innovative tests and improve therapeutic care for patients. Individual patients react differently to treatment depending on their sex, age, genetic disposition or lifestyles. If the drug dosage is too low for a patient, their treatment will be ineffective; if it is too high, the toxic effects can be severe and detrimental to the effectiveness of the treatment. The aim of personalised treatment is to achieve optimum efficiency while eliminating severe side effects.

Comment from Dr. François Cornu, president of Biomnis: "We are delighted to be part of this important development in cancer treatment. We believe that superior technology provides Biomnis the capability to perform these critical pharmacogenetics tests that will contribute to more effective cancer treatment for patients, and aid the healthcare industry progress closer to personalized treatment, which should ultimately increase efficacy and success rate and reduce the cost of medical treatment over time."    

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Notes for the editor:

Eurofins - a global leader in bio-analysis

Eurofins Scientific is the world leader in food, environment and pharmaceutical products testing. It is also one of the global market leaders in agroscience, genomics, discovery pharmacology and central laboratory services. In addition, Eurofins is one of the key emerging players in specialty clinical diagnostic testing in Europe and the USA.

With over 20,000 staff and over 200 laboratories across 39 countries, Eurofins offers a portfolio of over 130,000 reliable analytical methods for evaluating the safety, identity, composition, authenticity, origin and purity of biological substances and products, as well as for innovative clinical diagnostic. The Group provides its customers with high-quality services, accurate results on time and expert advice by its highly qualified staff.

Eurofins is committed to pursuing its dynamic growth strategy by expanding both its technology portfolio and its geographic reach. Through R&D and acquisitions, the Group draws on the latest developments in the field of biotechnology and analytical chemistry to offer its clients unique analytical solutions and the most comprehensive range of testing methods.

As one of the most innovative and quality oriented international players in its industry, Eurofins is ideally positioned to support its clients' increasingly stringent quality and safety standards and the expanding demands of regulatory authorities around the world.

The shares of Eurofins Scientific are listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN FR0000038259, Reuters EUFI.PA, Bloomberg ERF FP).

Biomnis - a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eurofins Scientific

A European leader in specialised medical testing, Biomnis carries out over 32,000 tests per day from a range of over 2,500 tests available, including specialised tests for which the company has appropriate authorisations. Founded in 1897, Biomnis is the leader in the field of specialised medical pathology in France. It has kept its position through continuous technological innovation and investment, particularly in areas such as female biology, oncology and personalised medicine, as well as chromosomal and molecular genetics. www.biomnis.com/international

ODPM

ODPM helps physicians and biologists prevent severe toxic side effects linked to the administration of fluoropyrimidines and personalise treatments by adapting treatment doses for maximum efficiency. ODPM provides a range of solutions that support patient therapy before and for the duration of their treatment, ensuring greater safety and effectiveness. www.odpm.fr