Monogram preparing for global commercialization of HIV diagnostic test

By Jennifer Lanning Drey

Portland, Ore., Oct. 18 - Monogram Biosciences, Inc.'s upcoming goals for its HIV franchise include preparing for the global commercialization of its co-receptor tropism assay and expanding pharma alliances, chief financial officer Alfred G. Merriweather said at the 2006 BIO InvestorForum in San Francisco on Wednesday.

Monogram expects its co-receptor tropism assay to be launched globally next year through an already-in-place collaboration with Pfizer.

Under the collaboration, Pfizer used Monogram's tropism assay diagnostic test in phase 3 clinical trials of CCR5, an HIV drug for which it expects to file a New Drug Application by the end of the year and potentially launch in 2007, Merriweather said.

"It's a terrific collaboration that will make sure we can expand our business internationally without having to invest heavily in infrastructure," he said.

The company has also targeted growing its year-to-year revenues in the HIV franchise as a near-term goal, Merriweather said Wednesday.

In its oncology segment, Monogram is working to develop a body of clinical data in support of commercial tests that would initially target breast cancer.

Then company plans to develop a potential oncology product on a larger scale and then test the product in a pivotal study that would be the basis of commercialization and potential collaboration, Merriweather said.

"We're pretty close to moving into that stage for our breast cancer product," he added.

Additionally, Monogram is developing pre-launch marketing programs in the oncology franchise, where it also hopes to expand pharma alliances, Merriweather said.

Monogram had cash of $35 million at the end of the second quarter.

Monogram is a San Francisco, Calif.-based company that develops and markets products to guide and improve the treatment of serious infectious diseases and cancer. The company's products are designed to help doctors optimize treatment regimens for the patients that lead to better outcomes and reduced costs.

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