Centogene, Takeda to extend Fabry disease testing for one more year

Centogene has extended its partnership with Takeda to keep providing genetic testing services for the diagnosis of lysosomal storage disorders, including Fabry disease.

Under the new deal, Takeda will continue to access the diagnostics service for another year.

Lysosomal storage diseases, which are characterized by an abnormal buildup of toxic materials in cells caused by enzyme deficiencies, are often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed, studies have shown. Because people with these conditions frequently face substantial diagnostic delays, an earlier diagnosis would allow patients to begin treatment sooner and thus potentially improve their quality of life.

“We are excited to extend our partnership with Takeda to accelerate diagnosis and increase access to life-saving therapeutics for patients globally,” Ian Rentsch, Centogene’s chief commercial officer and general manager for pharma, said in a press release.

Centogene brings to the partnership its Biodatabank, which according to the company is the world’s largest real-world repository for rare and neurodegenerative diseases. It includes data from more than 650,000 patients across nearly 120 countries, including pediatric cases, and samples representing more than 2,500 diseases.

The biobank stores dried and liquid blood samples, as well as cells and data from multiomics — the comprehensive analysis of different biological datasets. All of these are analyzed and crossed with clinical data to provide a holistic view that enables more accurate diagnoses and helps inform clinical decisions.

We are excited to extend our partnership with Takeda to accelerate diagnosis and increase access to life-saving therapeutics for patients globally.

Since its beginnings in 2006, Centogene has built a network of approximately 30,000 physicians, supporting their diagnostic decisions and furthering their understanding of rare diseases. The company’s approach also is intended to help develop novel therapies.

“Leveraging our targeted diagnostic portfolio, network of over 30,000 active physicians, and the CENTOGENE Biodatabank driving novel insights, we are uniquely positioned to deliver substantial value to our pharma partners throughout every stage of the development pipeline,” Rentsch said.

Centogene established its first partnership agreement with Shire Pharmaceuticals, later acquired by Takeda, in 2015. It allows the company to grant access to diagnostic testing services for rare genetic diseases.

Takeda markets Replagal, an enzyme replacement therapy approved in locations such as Canada and the U.K., though not in the U.S., for people with Fabry.

“This collaboration continues to play a vital role in the expansion of Takeda’s world-class enzyme replacement treatments and most importantly, brings life-changing answers to underserved patient communities,” Rentsch said.