Bayer taps a second partner to develop Vitrakvi's companion diagnostic

Six months into Vitrakvi larotrectinib's approval as a tissue-agnostic therapy, Bayer has added a second co-development partnership for the NTRK inhibitor's still-needed companion diagnostic, this time with Roche's Foundation Medicine unit.

In April 2018, Vitrakvi's originator Loxo Oncology Inc. signed a deal with Illumina Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) to develop a next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based companion diagnostic for the drug. Bayer AG (Xetra:BAYN) spokesperson Anna Koch confirmed to BioCentury earlier this month the partnership was transferred to Bayer following the January acquisition of Loxo by Eli Lilly and Co. (NYSE:LLY) (see "Second Big M&A deal of 2019: Lilly to Acquire Loxo")...