Adenoviral conjunctivitis assay will be launched in the U.S. and Europe by year end.
NicOx is paying Rapid Pathogen Screening (RPS) $4 million for worldwide rights to three ophthalmic point-of-care diagnostic tests and an exclusive option to license a fourth. The deal includes the latter’s EU- and U.S.- approved AdenoPlus™/Adeno Detector™ test for diagnosing adenoviral conjunctivitis in tear samples.
The two additional developmental POC tests licensed by NicOx include an assay for the combined detection of adenoviral and allergic conjunctivitis and a test for diagnosing ocular herpes. NicOx will pay half of the agreed development costs for the two development-stage products. The firm in addition retains an exclusive, worldwide option to negotiate a license to a fourth product, dependent on the achievement of specific milestones.
NicOx says it has now started building a commercial infrastructure in the U.S. and Europe to market AdenoPlus and potentially other therapeutic or diagnostic ophthalmology products it may acquire or license in. Launch of AdenoPlus in the U.S. and key European markets is expected by the end of 2012.
RPS is exploiting its Direct Sampling Micro-Filtration Technology to develop rapid, easy-to-use point-of-care tests for infectious diseases and pathogens, inflammatory disorders, genetic markers, and certain chemical warfare and bioterrorism agents. The firm claims its flagship AdenoPlus/Adeno Detector represents the first CLIA-waived, in-office assay that physicians can use to determine the underlying source of infectious conjunctivitis.
