STA to distribute breast cancer test in Australia

Specialised Therapeutics Australia (STA) has signed an agreement to become the Australian and New Zealand distributor for Oncotype DX, a diagnostics test for diagnosed breast cancer patients.

STA has struck a deal with US-based Genomic Health to handle sales, marketing and support for the test in Australia. As part of the deal, STA will partner with Healthscope Pathology, which will continue to oversee logistics in Australia.

Oncotype DX is the only genomic test validated to predict whether patients with early-stage invasive breast cancer are likely to benefit from chemotherapy. It is also designed to gauge the overall risk of breast cancer recurrence over a 10-year time span.

STA CEO Carlo Montagner said Oncotype DX has the potential to ‘shake up’ breast cancer treatment strategies in Australia. “This groundbreaking test, which has been universally adopted in the US, helps women make informed decisions,” he said.

“Many Australian women with early-stage breast cancer have endured debilitating chemotherapy regimens as a precautionary measure. This test will arm women and their physicians with more information about the likelihood of the patient benefiting from chemotherapy, as well as recurrence, helping them make a well-informed treatment decision.”

Oncotype DX is appropriate for recently diagnosed women with Stage I or II node-negative, oestrogen-receptor-positive, HER2 negative, invasive breast cancer.

It is also applicable in postmenopausal women with node-positive, hormone-receptor-positive, HER2 negative, invasive breast cancer.