QUEBEC CITY, Nov. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - DiagnoCure Inc. , a life sciences company commercializing high-value cancer diagnostic tests and specialty laboratory services, today announced the publication of new data regarding one of its proprietary prognostic tests for breast, colon and potentially other cancers.
The October 1st issue of Clinical Cancer Research states that measuring p66 Shc tumor levels provides a unique and simple tool for stratifying stage IIA colon cancer patients by risk of recurrence and disease-specific death and may assist in determining treatment strategies for these patients. The study included 240 chemotherapy patients with stage IIA colon cancer. An analysis of p66 Shc scores was found to be a significant prognostic indicator of relapse-free survival. DiagnoCure intends to conduct additional validating clinical studies.
“These study results confirm that DiagnoCure’s acquisition of the Shc tests in August 2007 was directly in line with our strategic goal of creating a suite of high-value tests that will aid in the diagnosis, prognosis/staging and ultimately treatment decisions for patients with cancer” said John Schafer, President and CEO of DiagnoCure.
The Shc tests have the added potential to guide physician treatment decisions when used in conjunction with the Company’s GC-C-based tests for colorectal cancer, acquired earlier in 2007 and scheduled to launch from the Company’s CLIA-certified laboratory in 2008.
About Shc proteins
The potential clinical value of tests for Shc proteins have been studied extensively in multiple clinical studies involving patients with five tumor types, including breast and colon. Results have shown the tests to be strong indicators for a patient’s risk of disease recurrence, as well as predictors of response to certain cancer therapies, such as tamoxifen or traditional chemotherapy. The tests measure the level of Shc proteins in tumor specimens removed during surgery. The Shc proteins are involved in a number of well-documented cellular pathways that are correlated with tumor aggressiveness across many types of cancer, offering a broad opportunity for clinical testing. The study published in Clinical Cancer Research was led by Dr. Steven Grossman, of the University of Massachusetts, and Dr. A. Raymond Frackelton Jr., Ph.D., of the Roger Williams Medical Center of Providence, Rhode Island.
About DiagnoCure
DiagnoCure is a life sciences company commercializing high-value cancer diagnostic tests and delivering lab services that increase clinician and patient confidence in making critical treatment decisions. DiagnoCure is currently preparing to launch the first GC-C-based molecular test for the management of colorectal cancer. In 2003, the Company entered into a strategic alliance with Gen-Probe for the development and commercialization of a second-generation test for PCA3, DiagnoCure’s proprietary genetic marker highly specific to prostate cancer. The test is now available through laboratories in the U.S. using PCA3 analyte specific reagents (ASR) from Gen-Probe, and in Europe as the CE-marked PROGENSA(TM) PCA3 in vitro assay. In addition to its own research, the Company intends to acquire or in-license additional promising cancer biomarkers from both academic and commercial institutions. For more information visit www.diagnocure.com
Forward-looking statements
This release contains forward-looking statements that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expected. By their very nature, forward-looking statements are based on expectations and hypotheses and also involve risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, many of which are beyond DiagnoCure’s control. As a result, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward- looking statements regarding the outcome of research and development projects, clinical studies and future revenues are based on management expectations. In addition, the reader is referred to the applicable general risks and uncertainties described in DiagnoCure’s most recent Annual Information Form under the heading “Risk Factors”. DiagnoCure undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein.
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