Quest Diagnostics Granted FDA Breakthrough Designation for its Adeno-associated virus (AAV) Test

Original from: yahoo! finance

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the nation's leading provider of diagnostic information services, today announced that its AAVrh74 ELISA assay (CDx) has been granted Breakthrough Device Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).​ Breakthrough Device Designation is an FDA process designed to expedite the development and review of certain medical devices and device-led combination products that provide for more effective treatment or diagnosis of life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating diseases or conditions.​

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent in vitro diagnostic assay is for the semi-quantitative detection of antibodies (IgG) to AAVrh74 capsid in human serum. The test is intended to be used in conjunction with other available clinical information as an aid to identify patients eligible for treatment with Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.'s (NASDAQ: SRPT) ELEVIDYS (delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl), gene therapy for certain individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

In addition, Quest and Sarepta, the leader in precision genetic medicine for rare diseases, today announced an expanded collaboration under which Quest will develop one or more companion or complementary diagnostics in connection with Sarepta's portfolio of investigational and on-market gene therapies. The collaboration may encompass screening assays for antibodies to Sarepta's AAV-vector based gene therapies for muscular dystrophies, including Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and limb girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMD).  The first companion diagnostic will be for Sarepta's first gene therapy, ELEVIDYS (delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl), intended to treat the underlying genetic cause of DMD, which received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in June 2023. Quest will also provide clinical lab testing for Sarepta.

"Achieving breakthrough designation for our AAVrh74 ELISA, and collaboration with AAV-gene therapy pioneer Sarepta, positions Quest at the forefront of companion diagnostics innovation in the growing field of gene therapies," said Bill Finger, General Manager, Pharma Services, Quest Diagnostics. "Our AAV testing expertise has the potential to empower many life science collaborators to develop, and ultimately bring to market, companion diagnostics for their gene therapies."

"Sarepta is pleased to expand its collaboration with Quest beyond our investigational therapies and to partner to develop essential diagnostic tools for our approved gene therapies that help streamline/match gene therapy treatment to eligible patients. Quest's diagnostic R&D capabilities and laboratory capacity play a critical role in identifying the patients who may benefit from these treatments," said Louise Rodino-Klapac, executive vice president, head of R&D and chief scientific officer, Sarepta Therapeutics.

About AAV-Based Gene Therapies

Defective genes account for approximately 80% of more than 7,000 rare diseases. The goal of gene therapy is to deliver a functional copy of a missing or malfunctioning gene to the targeted cells. Current gene therapies are one-time treatments.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors may be engineered to act as therapeutic delivery vehicles to transfer coding changes into the cell. AAV vectors are being explored for numerous therapeutic applications, and they are the most commonly used viral gene delivery system in clinical trials. As pre-existing antibodies to the AAV can pose a potential risk to patient safety as well as limit the therapeutic potential, patients must be screened for antibodies to determine patient eligibility. Testing to identify the quantity of total binding antibodies (TABs) can help identify eligible patients.

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Source: Quest Diagnostics Granted FDA Breakthrough Designation for its Adeno-associated virus (AAV) Test