QIAGEN and Roche settle dispute

QIAGEN N.V.and Roche Molecular Systems Inc., a unit of Roche Holding AG have reached an out-of-court agreement ending a dispute over rights for a set of companion diagnostic products developed and manufactured by QIAGEN’s Manchester subsidiary DxS Ltd.

Under the terms of the agreement, Roche maintained its rights to distribute the two assays it currently distributes (KRAS and EGFR) under the DxS TheraScreen label and, under certain conditions, to distribute future versions thereof.

“We are pleased to maintain our distribution agreement and to continue to provide access to DxS TheraScreen companion diagnostics that have the potential to improve cancer patient care,” said Dr Paul Brown, President and CEO of Roche Molecular Systems.

QIAGEN obtained rights to distribute these assays under the QIAGEN label and also obtained exclusive distribution rights for all other assays, including future assays, developed and manufactured at QIAGEN’s Manchester subsidiary. QIAGEN intends to use the QIAGEN TheraScreen label for the assays it distributes. QIAGEN also granted Roche the option of extending the new distribution agreement for the TheraScreen EGFR assay beyond its current end date of 2011.

QIAGEN CEO Peer Schatz said that the agreement created a clear distribution path for the company’s TheraScreen companion diagnostics, which can “help physicians to customise therapies, greatly reduce healthcare costs and prevent harmful treatments for patients suffering from serious diseases.”