Zydus Lifesciences Limited, an innovation-driven global life sciences company and Guardant Health, a leading precision oncology company, have signed a co-marketing agreement to jointly promote the Guardant360 portfolio of liquid and tissue biopsy tests across India and Nepal. The tests to be promoted include the Guardant360 and Guardant360 TissueNext tests for comprehensive genomic profiling and the Guardant360 Response test for monitoring response to treatment.

The agreement demonstrates a shared commitment to advance precision medicine and improve patient outcomes in the region. By combining resources and expertise, both organisations aim to empower oncologists with the necessary tools to help inform treatment decisions for patients with advanced cancer.

"Cancer is a major public health problem in India and Nepal, with one out of nine Indians likely to develop cancer in his or her lifetime and more than 20,000 people in Nepal diagnosed with cancer every year," said Simranjit Singh, Chief Executive Officer of Guardant Health Asia, Middle East and Africa.

"This collaboration with Zydus to co-promote the Guardant360 portfolio across their extensive network signifies our mutual commitment to address unmet cancer treatment needs by equipping oncologists with genomic tests that help patients with advanced cancers receive the best targeted treatment option in order to improve outcomes."

Speaking on the development, a spokesperson from Zydus Lifesciences Limited said, "We have always believed in bringing together science, innovation and nurturance for a more patient centric approach in healthcare. This collaboration with Guardant Health helps us offer all of this for patients suffering from advanced forms of cancer. Access to these critical diagnostic tests and precision oncology will go a long way in guiding better clinical outcomes and support the fight against advanced solid cancer."

For doctors treating patients with advanced cancer, the Guardant360 portfolio of tests provides a complete tumour genomic view at every step of the treatment journey, offering insights to help them quickly start patients on the optimal treatment based on their tumour genomic profile, and to monitor response to that treatment.

Guardant360 is a minimally invasive liquid biopsy test that provides comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) of all solid tumours by analysing circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) from a simple blood draw. Guardant360 TissueNext provides CGP results from a tumour tissue biopsy to give doctors actionable information when tissue testing is appropriate. Guardant360 Response is a monitoring test that allows oncologists to track a patient's treatment response over time.