Servier India launches subsidised biomarker tests for rare cancers

Servier India has tied up with MedGenome and Reliance-backed Strand Life Sciences to offer low-cost IDH1 and IDH2 biomarker testing for rare cancers like AML and CCA across India

Servier India, a subsidiary of the French pharmaceutical company Servier Group, on Tuesday announced the launch of a patient-centric biomarker IDH1 and IDH2 testing initiative in collaboration with genomic laboratories MedGenome and Reliance-backed Strand Life Sciences.

 

As part of this agreement, a customised panel of biomarker tests for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), an aggressive blood cancer, and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a rare bile duct cancer, will be introduced across India at subsidised rates, making these advanced diagnostics more affordable and accessible.

 

“For those consulting private hospitals, the tests will be available at heavily subsidised rates of around 60 to 75 per cent of the market rate,” a person familiar with the development said.

 

While the tests are free in the government sector, availability remains limited, with private testing costing between Rs 20,000 and Rs 50,000 for AML and Rs 50,000 to Rs 3 lakh for CCA.

 

How common are AML and CCA in India?

 

According to studies, AML affects an estimated two to three people per 100,000 annually in India, with a growing incidence among younger adults aged 30 to 40 years.

 

Despite available treatments such as chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation, AML remains aggressive, with a five-year survival rate of only 25 to 40 per cent.

 

CCA, on the other hand, is an even rarer form of cancer, affecting around two people per 100,000 in India.

 

What will Servier’s initiative aim to achieve?

 

Commenting on the need for the initiative, Aurelien Breton, managing director at Servier India, said that in cancers such as AML and CCA, early molecular testing can support timely and informed treatment decisions, positively impacting survival rates. However, far too many patients in India are still diagnosed too late, he added.

 

The IDH1 test identifies mutations in the IDH1 gene, which are crucial for diagnosing and treating cancers such as gliomas and AML. By analysing tumour tissue or blood samples through sequencing, the test helps confirm diagnoses, predict prognosis, and determine eligibility for targeted therapies in certain CCA patients.

 

Similarly, the IDH2 test detects mutations in the IDH2 gene—changes that are acquired, not inherited—and is used to help guide treatment for such patients.

 

Why is wider access to molecular testing critical?

 

“The patient-centric biomarker testing initiative aims to address access to good-quality molecular testing, which remains largely concentrated among a small subset of the Indian population, primarily in urban centres, leaving many patients without timely and accurate diagnosis,” Servier India said in a statement.