TORONTO, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - GeneNews Limited , a company focused on developing simple blood-based biomarker tests for the early detection of diseases and personalized health management, today announced the appointment of three additional members to its Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Clinical Advisory Board. The mandate of the Board is to provide the Company with counsel on the clinical implementation, regulatory and commercialization strategies for GeneNews’ lead product, ColonSentry(TM), a convenient and patient-friendly blood-based biomarker test to detect colorectal cancer and precancerous polyps.
“We are pleased to announce that Drs. Lieberman, Sidransky, and Wender have agreed to join our Clinical Advisory Board,” said K. Wayne Marshall, MD, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of GeneNews. “Their long-term commitment to advance colorectal cancer screening combined with their extensive experience in defining the strategies for effective implementation of screening is expected to materially enhance our regulatory and clinical adoption strategies for ColonSentry commercialization.”
David Lieberman, MD
Dr. Lieberman is Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology at Oregon Health Sciences University and the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. He received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Michigan. Dr. Lieberman is widely-recognized as an opinion leader in colorectal cancer screening. He has led a number of pioneering studies that have substantively contributed to the evolution of colonoscopy into a frontline screening tool for the early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer. He continues to be involved in the development of innovative approaches for improving early cancer detection and in helping to refine and update clinical practice guidelines for CRC screening. Dr. Lieberman’s contributions to advancing the field of CRC detection and prevention were recently recognized when he received the 2007 Laurel for Leadership from the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation.
David Sidransky, MD
Dr. Sidransky is currently the Director of the Head and Neck Cancer Research Program at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and is Professor of Oncology, Urology, Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Pathology, Otolaryngology and Genetics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He received his undergraduate degree from Brandeis University and his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Sidransky is a founder of several private biotechnology companies and has served on the scientific advisory boards of several companies, including Medimmune, Telik, Roche, Amgen and Response Genetics. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of ImClone Systems and as Vice Chairman of Alfacell,and Chairman of Champions Biotechnology. Dr. Sidransky is highly regarded as an innovator in early cancer detection and has received numerous awards including the 2004 Hinda Rosenthal Award from the American Association of Cancer Research.
Richard Wender, MD
Dr. Wender is Alumni Professor and Chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and a graduate of Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Wender has served on the Steering Committee of the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable and worked with the Center for Disease Control to develop “A Call to Action,” a national training program for clinicians focused on colorectal cancer prevention and screening. Dr. Wender has made important contributions to the development, implementation and refinement of clinical practice guidelines for both colorectal and prostate cancer. He has been the recipient of numerous awards recognizing his commitment to early cancer detection and education.
About GeneNews
GeneNews is focused on the application of functional genomics to enable early diagnosis and personalized therapeutic intervention based on disease-specific biomarkers. The Company has developed a novel approach, the Sentinel Principle(TM), to detect and stage virtually any disease or medical condition from a simple blood sample. GeneNews is currently applying the Sentinel Principle in major areas with unmet clinical needs such as cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular disease and neurological disorders. GeneNews’ first product in development, ColonSentry, is a convenient and patient-friendly blood-based biomarker test that can detect colon cancer. For more information on GeneNews, visit www.genenews.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect the Company’s current expectations regarding future events. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could differ materially from those projected herein. Investors should consult the Company’s ongoing quarterly filings and annual reports for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to these forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
CONTACT: James Smith, (416) 815-0070 x 229, jsmith@equicomgroup.com
