NeoGenomics and ImmunoGen Launch New Program Giving Ovarian Cancer Patients Access to Novel FR Biomarker Testing to Support the Launch of ELAHERE(TM)

Program leverages NeoGenomics' expertise to provide ovarian cancer patients critical insights to ensure they are getting the right treatment

FT. MYERS, FL / ACCESSWIRE / November 18, 2022 / NeoGenomics, Inc. (NASDAQ:NEO), a leading provider of oncology testing and global contract research services, today launched a novel biomarker testing program for patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, including primary peritoneal or fallopian tube cancers (EOC).Through the FR-ASSIST™ program, sponsored by ImmunoGen, Inc., (Nasdaq:IMGN), EOC patients will have access to the FOLR1 IHC CDx test (VENTANA FOLR1 RxDx Assay) performed by NeoGenomics to measure the expression of a protein called folate receptor alpha (FRα).

The FR-ASSIST™ program was launched in conjunction with the recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval of ELAHERE™ (mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx), ImmunoGen's antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting FRα in patients with platinum-resistant EOC.

The new testing program is sponsored entirely by ImmunoGen and provides eligible EOC patients with FRα-expression testing through NeoGenomics at no cost, regardless of insurance coverage or test results.

"We are excited to be partnering with ImmunoGen on this first-of-its-kind testing program. Together, we are combining our leadership in biomarker testing with ImmunoGen's expertise in developing novel targeted therapies to fill a critically-important unmet need in ovarian cancer," said Shashikant Kulkarni, MS (Medicine), PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, NeoGenomics.

FRα is rarely expressed in normal tissue, but is often elevated in solid cancer tumors, including EOC. Of the approximately 19,880 ovarian cancers diagnosed in 2022,[1] it would be expected that nearly 90 percent of these cases express FRα,[2]^,[3],[4]representing an attractive target for cancer treatment.

"Biomarker testing is an integral component of personalized medicine, especially for patients with ovarian cancer as it can support oncologists and their patients in making more informed decisions about treatment approaches," said Derek Lyle, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, NeoGenomics. "Sponsored programs like FR-ASSIST™ are an innovative and efficient way to ensure patients are getting the right test to help them receive the right treatment at the right time, particularly innovative targeted therapies that have been shown to improve patient outcomes."