Quest Diagnostics Launches Hepatitis C Virus Therapy Test Based on IL28B Gene Variants

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated DGX today announced the availability of its AccuType® IL28B test for aiding in the prediction of patient response to peginterferon alpha-based therapy for hepatitis C virus HCV infection. Quest Diagnostics is now offering the test to physicians and other healthcare providers in the U.S. and to pharmaceutical companies for use in clinical trials research. The test was developed through a global non-exclusive license agreement under which Schering Corporation, a Merck affiliate, licensed certain patent rights claiming Interleukin (IL) 28B genetic markers to Quest Diagnostics. These genetic markers have been shown to provide an indicator of potential response to peginterferon alpha-based therapy for HCV. Additional terms were not disclosed.