- The Netherlands' National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) awards a five-year contract to Roche (OTCQX:RHHBY) to implement its cobas HPV test as the first-line primary screening test in its national cervical cancer screening program, expected to start in H2 2016. It will be the first country in the world with an organized cervical screening program to fully transition from the Pap test to primary HPV screening with the aim of improving the detection rate of pre-cancerous disease.
- The cobas HPV test is the only FDA-cleared HPV assay that identifies HPV 16 and 18, the highest risk types, in addition to the other 12 HPV types. All are identified simultaneously as a pooled result from one cervical swab sample. The test will be performed on the automated cobas 4800 System.
- The Dutch program includes a longer time interval between routine screening visits as well as an option for women to self-collect their cervical samples.
- Financial terms are not disclosed.