Sanofi unit Genzyme and Veracyte, Inc. entered a global co-promotion partnership aimed at providing a comprehensive solution for thyroid patients. The agreement will give patients worldwide increased access to an advanced personalized medicine for improved diagnosis of thyroid nodules, and has the potential to reduce the number of unnecessary thyroidectomies.

Genzyme will market and promote Veracyte’s Afirma Thyroid FNA Analysis, an innovative approach for improved thyroid nodule diagnosis, in the U.S. and, subsequently, in global markets. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Thyroid nodule FNAs are known to produce ambiguous results in approximately 30% of cases. Current guidelines recommend these patients undergo thyroid resection, however post-surgical results show that only 20-30% of these patients have cancer. Veracyte’s solution combines expert cytopathology assessment of thyroid nodule FNA samples, with the company’s Afirma Gene Expression Classifier used to resolve indeterminate results, helping patients with benign nodules avoid unnecessary surgery.

Genzyme develops and markets Thyrogen (thyrotropin alfa for injection) for patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer. Thyrogen is used as an adjunctive diagnostic tool for serum thyroglobulin (Tg) testing and is approved as an adjunctive treatment for radioiodine ablation of thyroid tissue remnants in patients who have undergone a near total or total thyroidectomy for well-differentiated thyroid cancer and who do not have metastatic thyroid cancer.

“This partnership is a strong fit for both companies and underscores Genzyme’s commitment to improving the quality of care for patients with suspected or diagnosed thyroid cancer,” said Genzyme’s head of Rare Diseases, Rogerio Vivaldi, M.D. “Together, our products offer patients and physicians a powerful personalized medicine solution for the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer, addressing an unmet need in the community and improving patient outcomes.”