Cancer is a complex disease, and the treatment that helps one patient may do irreparable harm to another. There is a large, unmet need for a diagnostic platform that can look at biopsy samples on a molecular level. The additional information can aid doctors in choosing a treatment plan for cancer patients.
Clarient provides anatomic pathology and molecular testing services for pathologists, oncologists and the pharmaceutical industry. The company is able to perform protein and DNA analysis on biopsy samples for breast, lung, colon, and prostate cancers, as well as leukemia and lymphoma. By working directly with the healthcare community, Clarient aims to improve patient care from diagnosis to prognosis to treatment. CEO Ron Andrews predicts that the market for advanced cancer diagnostic testing will top $3 billion by 2012.
Clarient has experienced rapid growth over the past five years. The Aliso Viejo, Calif.-based company achieved several major milestones in 2009. In May, the company launched its Insight Dx breast cancer test to calculate the probability of a patient’s cancer recurring. Clarient also launched a diagnostic test for prostate cancer, and a gene mutation test to help physicians select the most effective therapy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. The year was capped off by the acquisition of Huntsville, Ala.-based Applied Genomics. The deal will give Clarient access to the rapidly growing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) testing market.
According to Andrews, over 1,100 pathology practices call Clarient their go-to molecular technology lab for at least one of their cancer testing services. In this video from the 2010 OneMedForum, Andrews discusses the past, present and future of Clarient.
