Strategic Diagnostics Inc. Announces Partnership with the University of Delaware and the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center to Develop Cancer Assays
Scientific findings suggest that cancer cells implanting in normal tissue of the body cause damage to surrounding proteins upon breaking away from the primary tumor, leaving behind protein molecule fragments. These fragments are indicators that the cancer has metastasized. SDI will work to develop antibodies to detect the protein fragments left by the invading cancer cells. The results of tests that employ such antibodies would help determine the stage and severity of the cancer, and allow medical professionals to develop effective treatment options for patients with metastatic disease.
Mary C. (Cindy) Farach-Carson, Professor of Biological Sciences and Materials Sciences and Engineering at the University of Delaware, also serves as Director of the Center for Translational Cancer Research (CTCR), a collaborative initiative among the State of Delaware, the University of Delaware, The Delaware Biotechnology Institute and the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center. Significant funding for the CTCR was provided by the State of Delaware, The National Institute of Health/National Cancer Institute, and the NIH NCRR INBRE Program. Dr. Farach-Carson has been conducting research in the area of prostate cancer metastasis, which will be the focus of the collaboration with SDI.
The Helen F. Graham Cancer Center is one of only 14 National Cancer Institute centers in the United States. The Center is renowned for its achievements in the field of cancer studies and treatment. SDI believes that its Genomic Antibody Technology™ is well-suited to the field of cancer metastasis and the Company expects to work very closely with the Center on this groundbreaking project.
Francis M. DiNuzzo, President and CEO of SDI commented, “We are extremely excited about this collaboration with the University of Delaware and the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center. Cindy and her team are doing breakthrough research in the area of biomarker discovery. The applications of SDI’s Genomic Antibody Technology™ in fields such as cancer biomarker discovery represent an important opportunity for us to further demonstrate the efficacy of our technology platform. We look forward to contributing to this critical scientific research with the University and the Center.”
David S. Weir, Director of the University of Delaware Office of Economic Innovation & Partnerships, echoed Mr. DiNuzzo’s comments on the importance of this partnership. “It is a perfect triple play,” said Weir. “It benefits SDI and is another important step in building a biomedical research and business capability in the State. This partnership is clear evidence of the importance of deploying the University’s knowledge-based assets for economic and community benefit with SDI’s technology being a strong value driver.”
Dr. Farach-Carson added, “Working with the scientists at SDI affords us at UD and the CTCR opportunities to translate discoveries in the laboratory to useful diagnostics for cancer patients.
Nicholas Petrelli, M.D., Medical Director of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center stated, “This collaborative effort between SDI, the University of Delaware and the Graham Center is an example of the successful establishment of the Center for Translational Research, which will not only succeed in helping in the care of patients, but also in establishing new jobs in the State.”
About Strategic Diagnostics Inc.
Strategic Diagnostics Inc. is a leading provider of antibody technology to the Life Science market place. Additionally the company provides biotechnology-based detection solutions for a broad range of food, water, agricultural, and environmental applications. By applying its core competencies of antibody and assay development, the Company produces unique, sophisticated reagents, reagent systems, antibody design services and bio-detection solutions to customer needs. Customers benefit from the enablement of their research into critical health care challenges of disease understanding, therapeutic development and diagnostic discovery. Industrial customers benefit with quantifiable “return on investment” by reducing time, labor, and/or material costs. All this is accomplished while increasing accuracy, reliability and actionability of essential test results. The Company is focused on sustaining this competitive advantage by leveraging its expertise in antibody design, immunology, proteomics, bio-luminescence and other bio-reactive technologies to continue its successful customer-focused research and development efforts. Recent innovations in high throughput production of antibodies from genetic antigens will complement the Company’s established leadership in commercial and custom antibody production for the Research, Human/Animal Diagnostics, and Pharmaceutical industries, and position the Company for broader participation in proteomics research and discovery.
About the University of Delaware
One of the oldest institutions of higher education in the country with its roots dating to 1743, the University of Delaware is the flagship university of the state of Delaware. With a distinguished faculty and nationally recognized programs in study abroad, undergraduate research and discovery learning, the University offers a broad range of undergraduate and graduate degrees across seven colleges. The University is classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as having very high research activity – a designation accorded fewer than 3 percent of U.S. colleges and universities – with significant research strengths in the biosciences, alternative energy, chemical engineering, composite materials and technology. The University of Delaware’s Office of Economic Innovation & Partnerships serves as a gateway to enable entrepreneurship and innovation by leveraging the University’s knowledge-based assets in partnership with industry, government and other academic institutions.
This news release contains forward-looking statements reflecting SDI's current expectations. When used in this press release, the words “anticipate”, “could”, “enable”, “estimate”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “project” “plan” and similar expressions as they relate to SDI are intended to identify said forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ from those anticipated by SDI at this time. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, changes in demand for products, delays in product development, delays in market acceptance of new products, retention of customers and employees, adequate supply of raw materials, the successful integration and consolidation of the Maine production facilities, inability to obtain or delays in obtaining fourth party, including AOAC, or required government approvals, the ability to meet increased market demand, competition, protection of intellectual property, non-infringement of intellectual property, seasonality, and other factors more fully described in SDI's public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact: Strategic Diagnostics Inc. Stan Fronczkowski, 302-456-6789 Chief Financial Officer www.sdix.com or Investors: The Trout Group Brian Korb, 646-378-2923 bkorb@troutgroup.com Source: Strategic Diagnostics Inc.