Oncotech Inc. will perform in vitro drug activity tests onindividual patient's kidney cancer tissue at reduced ratesunder an agreement announced Monday with the National KidneyCancer Association, an organization of patients and physicians.

The tests will help doctors plan patient-specific cancertherapy. There are 25,000 new cases of kidney cancerdiagnosed annually in the United States and 10,300 Americansdie from the disease each year. Kidney cancer is highlyresistant to chemotherapy.

Under the agreement, the tests will cost $890, a savings ofabout $700 over normal rates, Irvine, Calif.-based Oncotechsaid.

Physicians in the program will also provide information oneach patient's treatment and response to refine treatments forthe disease.

Oncotech, which is privately held, said the data may pinpointwhich patients respond to interleukin-2, which is beingdeveloped by Cetus Corp. to treat kidney cancer. Last summer,a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee asked theEmeryville, Calif., company to pinpoint the patient subgroupthat benefits from IL-2. -- Karen Bernstein

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