DaVita Labs and Myriad RBM announce biomarker research collaboration

DaVita Labs, a unit of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. (NYSE:DVA) and Myriad RBM, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Myriad Genetics (Nasdaq:MYGN) announced today a research collaboration to conduct protein biomarker discovery research with the goal of developing and commercialising diagnostic tests that could benefit in the treatment of dialysis patients.

DaVita and Myriad have identified potential opportunities where novel diagnostic tests utilising blood-based protein biomarkers could improve the quality of life for patients and potentially lower overall healthcare costs. The primary area of focus will include the prediction of vascular access failure.

“This collaboration uses DaVita’s proprietary biorepository that is intended to facilitate innovative research across renal disease,” said Chris Rucker, president of DaVita Labs and DaVita Clinical Research. “Myriad recognizes the value that the biorepository can bring to research and development activities, and we look forward to collaborating with Myriad on the research and development of novel diagnostics that could transform our industry.”

“We are enthusiastic to collaborate with a company of the caliber of DaVita in the field of dialysis, one of the largest health care service markets,” said Craig Benson, president Myriad RBM. “We have extensive experience with research in kidney disease and inflammatory markers that we believe could increase the quality of care for dialysis patients.”

Specimens from the DaVita biorepository will be processed on the Myriad RBM DiscoveryMAP® platform for the quantification of more than 300 important proteins. DiscoveryMAP analyzes protein biomarkers correlated with inflammatory, metabolic and renal disease conditions that could have meaningful utility as diagnostic criteria for dialysis