Foundation Medicine Establishes Immuno-Oncology Companion Diagnostics Collaboration with Merck

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Foundation Medicine, Inc. (NASDAQ:FMI) today announced a collaboration with Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, to develop companion diagnostic tests for use with KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy and the first approved immunotherapy for microsatellite instability (MSI) high or mismatch repair deficient solid tumors. The companion diagnostic tests will leverage FoundationOne CDx™, Foundation Medicine’s FDA-approved comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) assay for all solid tumors incorporating multiple companion diagnostics. The companies will collaborate on the development of a pan-cancer companion diagnostic to measure MSI. In addition, they plan to develop companion diagnostics for tumor mutational burden (TMB), as well as additional potential novel biomarkers of response.