KNOXVILLE, TN--(Marketwired - March 31, 2015) - EDP Biotech Corporation (EDP), a global in vitro diagnostic innovator of a simple blood-based cancer diagnostic test, announces it has entered into distribution agreements with more than twenty-five market leading distribution channel partners throughout Europe, Asia, and South America. EDP plans a multiphase roll out of ColoMarker®, a blood test that aids in detection of early stage colorectal cancer, in 2015 to gain experience and data in conjunction with KOLs and distributor partners. These new partnerships continue to broaden EDP’s global presence.
ColoMarker enables clinicians to use a simple blood sample to quickly detect CA11-19(™), a biomarker that is highly correlated to early stages of colorectal cancer. EDP expects that ColoMarker’s superior test performance, convenience, and cost effectiveness will significantly improve compliance with colonoscopy-based cancer screenings, when compared to existing fecal testing options. EDP’s ColoMarker test provides patients a new choice in detecting and fighting colorectal cancer in its early stage, when the disease is most treatable. For more information about ColoMarker, please visit www.ColoMarker.com.
“We are excited to team up with our IVD distribution partners that can systematically help accelerate our commercialization ability to introduce the ColoMarker blood test. We looked exhaustively at companies that had the expertise and acumen to meet our very demanding needs,” said Alan Jernigan, CEO of EDP Biotech. “Our 25 new distribution partners are keen to begin launch activities. We feel confident that ColoMarker will result in increased patient compliance, reductions in healthcare expenditures and saved lives. With our extensive network of distributor partners we are truly becoming a global company prepared to meet the needs of clinicians who provide treatment to colon cancer patients and those patients seeking non-invasive solutions to early detection. Additionally, this market experience will put us in a great position to meet our goal of FDA submission later this year.”
ColoMarker has been tested in multiple sites with a large number of samples having both known and unknown stages of colorectal cancer (stages I-IV). In a recent multi-center study, clinically verified ColoMarker results demonstrated a sensitivity approaching 100% for early stage colorectal cancer (stages I-II) and an overall cancer detection rate of around 98% with a specificity of 84%. Dr Herbert Fritsche, Professor Emeritus of Laboratory Medicine and Chief of Clinical Chemistry at MD Anderson Cancer Center and Consultant to EDP states that “Routine colonoscopy is the best way to detect colon cancer and high risk polyps, but many people are not compliant. A simple blood test will be a welcomed option to the current fecal occult blood- and DNA-based assays for a directed colonoscopy.”
About Colon Cancer
Colon cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US and is expected to cause nearly 50,000 deaths in 2015. However, colon cancer is one of the most treatable cancers and if detected early, the five-year survival rate is nearly 90%. Unfortunately, only about 40% of people are diagnosed at this early stage when treatment is most likely to be successful and 1 in 3 people over 50 years of age are not screened at all. Abnormal growths called polyps are very common in the colorectal tract yet some can become cancerous over time. While there are currently several options available for cancer screening, people are often not screened due to lack of awareness, the high cost, inconvenience and invasiveness of current testing options.
About EDP Biotech Corporation
EDP Biotech is dedicated to the development and commercialization of innovative cancer diagnostics that are simple, accurate and cost-effective including the ColoMarker® ELISA kit for detection of early stage colorectal cancer. EDP Biotech has research, license or commercialization agreements with leading institutions, including GI Associates and Covenant Health. ColoMarker is not cleared for clinical use in the US. For more information on EDP Biotech, visit our websites: www.ColoMarker.com or www.EDPbiotech.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts, including, without limitation, statements that relate to the EDP’s expectations with regard to the future impact on the EDP’s results from new products in development, may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Words such as “expects”, “intends”, “plans”, “may”, “could”, “should”, “anticipates”, “likely”, “believes” and words of similar import also identify forward- looking statements. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are based on current facts and analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determined and assumptions of management. Readers are urged not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. Except as may be required under applicable law, we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect any event or circumstance that may arise after the date of this release.
Contact:
Kimberly Schmitz
(EDP Biotech) Communications Consultant, Spur Public Relations
Phone: 520-247-5778
Email: Email Contact
Lisa Jensen-Long
Director of Marketing, EDP Biotech
Phone: 520-247-6228
Email: Email Contact
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