Quintiles and Dako, a provider of tissue-based cancer diagnostics, have entered a strategic alliance to advance personalized medicine through the development of targeted therapies and companion diagnostics. The two companies will offer integrated drug-diagnostic development services and companion diagnostic products. Dako will develop cancer diagnostic tests, and Quintiles will conduct the tests as part of the clinical validation. Their first collaboration will support AstraZeneca’s development of one of its leading oncology compounds.

“Quintiles and Dako share the same goals for speed, quality and efficiency,” said Thomas Wollman, senior vice president, Quintiles Global Central Laboratories. “By pairing our core competencies in translational medicine, biomarker discovery and managing clinical trials with Dako’s expertise in companion diagnostics, we can help physician investigators select the right patients for the right clinical trials, thereby accelerating the development of personalized oncology therapies for our customers in the New Health landscape.”

“I’m excited about this collaboration. It is designed to help biopharma companies streamline the development of safer, more effective targeted therapies,” said Dako chief executive Lars Holmkvist. “By combining highly accurate, reliable diagnostic tests and results with the proper management of critical patient data, we can help companies advance their oncology therapies more rapidly, with the ultimate goal of benefiting patients.”