Mon Jan 6, 2014 4:30pm EST

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Foundation Medicine Extends and Expands Collaboration to Provide Molecular Information and Genomic Profiling for Clinical Oncology Programs

Foundation Medicine today announced it has extended and expanded its ongoing collaboration with Novartis to provide molecular information and comprehensive genomic profiling analysis in support of many of Novartis clinical oncology programs. The collaboration will now extend through at least September 2016.

As the result of Foundation Medicine and Novartis pilot program established in January 2011 and an expanded three-year agreement in June 2012, Foundation Medicines comprehensive genomic profiling has generated clinically relevant data and is now regularly used in many of Novartis oncology clinical trials. This new agreement, which the companies agreed to extend and expand prior to the end of the existing term, includes committed capacity for Foundation Medicine to provide genomic profiling of patient samples from Novartis clinical trials, as well as access to Foundation Medicines molecular information and analysis services. The new three-year agreement also gives Novartis the option to extend the term for an additional two-year period. Financial terms are not being disclosed.

We are deeply committed to our relationship with Novartis and pleased with the continued growth of our collaboration, said Michael J. Pellini, M.D., president and CEO, Foundation Medicine. In addition to providing comprehensive genomic profiling for patients in Novartis clinical trials, this expanded agreement will allow Novartis to take advantage of our unique and growing database of molecular information to support the evaluation and development of Novartis oncology drug candidates, biological targets and clinical trials.

Foundation Medicine uses comprehensive, clinical grade next-generation sequencing to assess routine cancer specimens for all genes that are currently known to be somatically altered and unambiguous drivers of oncogenesis in solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, as well as many sarcomas and pediatric cancers. Novartis uses these capabilities to support its targeted therapy clinical development efforts by helping to align the genomic profile of individual patients cancer with clinical trial enrollment criteria and clinical outcome analysis.

About Foundation Medicine

Foundation Medicine (NASDAQ: FMI) is a molecular information company dedicated to a transformation in cancer care in which treatment is informed by a deep understanding of the genomic changes that contribute to each patients unique cancer. The companys clinical assays, FoundationOneTM for solid tumors and FoundationOneTM Heme for hematologic malignancies, sarcomas and pediatric cancers, each provide a fully informative genomic profile to identify a patients individual molecular alterations and match them with relevant targeted therapies and clinical trials. Foundation Medicines molecular information platform aims to improve day-to-day care for patients by serving the needs of clinicians, academic researchers and drug developers to help advance the science of molecular medicine in cancer. For more information, please visit http://www.FoundationMedicine.com or follow Foundation Medicine on Twitter (@FoundationATCG).

Foundation Medicine is a registered trademark, and FoundationOneTMis a trademark, of Foundation Medicine, Inc.

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Foundation Medicine Extends and Expands Collaboration to ...