Andrew Crenshaw is the Global CDx Discipline Director at Q² Solutions. In this episode, he describes strategies for mitigating risk in the development of companion diagnostics (CDx) for immuno-oncology.

Depending on the bio-marker, there might be difficulties in developing an assay that correctly characterizes that bio-marker. There are also, there could be reduced ability to enter into markets due to the accessibility of that particular technology used to identify that bio-marker or test that bio-marker globally. For example, it's common throughout hospitals to have IHC or pathology review of particular of bio-markers but next-gen sequencing is a new and more expensive type of technology, so they might not be able to go after that as a particular companion diagnostic.

But, that being said, the trade-off or what they gain from getting a companion diagnostic, they have a greater chance of reaching the correct population of patients that will see the greatest benefit of their therapeutic.

Andrew discusses an alternative to the traditional three-way partnership of a drug developer, an IVD manufacturer and a CRO. Single-site, pre-market approval can reduce the front-loaded investment needed for an IVD. It also can align better for the management of the project timeline.