NEW HAVEN, Conn., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- HistoRx, Inc. announced today the installation of its PM-2000(TM) image analyzer platform instrument at Brigham and Women's Hospital (Harvard Medical School), Mayo Clinic, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, and University of Wisconsin- Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Pathology. The noncommercial technology licensing agreements convey rights to the four institutions to use the proprietary HistoRx AQUA(R) (Automated QUantitative Analysis) biomarker analysis technology platform under the HistoRx Academic Research HARP(TM) Program.
AQUA technology brings unequaled quantification, molecular spatial resolution, and reproducibility to in situ biomarker analysis in cell samples, whole tissue sections, and tissue microarrays, providing an unmatched level of accuracy and information for analysis. The technology is at the core of the fluorescence microscopy-based PM-2000, which enables pathologists to measure the subcellular localization and relative concentration of multiple clinically relevant proteins in diseased tissue to guide drug development and therapeutic decision making.
"The rapid uptake of the AQUA technology by these preeminent cancer research institutions affirms its value as a critical new discovery research and clinical development tool," said John L. Tonkinson, Vice President of Business Development at HistoRx. "In the hands of these academic innovators, this powerful in situ biomarker analysis technology will accelerate the pace of biomarker development, foster publications in peer-reviewed literature, and further its validation as an automated, high-throughput, quantitative histopathology platform. AQUA is positioned to become the standard pathology analysis tool of researchers worldwide."
"We have simply spectacular data using AQUA," said Gerold Bepler, MD, PhD, Thoracic Program Director at the Moffitt Cancer Center. "With this new technology, we are able to analyze the state of protein signaling pathways and complex proteomic patterns in disease-altered tissue, providing the information we need to reliably subclassify disease and predict therapeutic response to specific drugs. We're very excited about the potential of AQUA to advance a range of cancer research projects at Moffitt."
About the HARP(TM) Program
The HistoRx HARP program provides oncologists and pathologists at leading academic research institutions in North America and Europe access to the AQUA(R) technology for use exclusively in noncommercial research. HistoRx's proprietary AQUA technology enables researchers interested in studying protein biomarkers to advance the field of tissue proteomics by simultaneously measuring precise amounts of protein expression in different stages of disease in various organs and tissues while maintaining their morphological context in the intact tissue. Academic and other not-for-profit research institutions are eligible for the HARP program. Membership benefits include noncommercial use of the AQUA platform (system components: AQUA tissue analysis software, PM- 2000(TM) image analyzer, and X-Tile(TM) advanced statistical analysis package).
About HistoRx (http://www.historx.com)
HistoRx is a leader in the development of new quantitative histopathology technology that provides exceptional measurement and localization of protein biomarkers to generate more precise, efficient, and cost-effective answers about the safety and effectiveness of new therapeutics in drug development and to provide the foundation for companion diagnostic tests. HistoRx services and products are based on the company's proprietary AQUA(R) technology, the first platform capable of measuring biomarker concentration with subcellular resolution in tissue sections. HistoRx services are used throughout basic biomedical research, preclinical studies, and clinical drug development, facilitating the efforts of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to improve efficiency and effectiveness across the drug development pipeline in bringing new targeted therapies for cancer and other diseases to the marketplace. HistoRx develops companion diagnostic products that are linked to our partners' drug candidates to predict therapeutic outcome and pursues internal programs to develop proprietary standard-of-care diagnostics that offer substantial improvements over existing immunohistochemistry-based tests.
About H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
Located in Tampa, Florida on the University of South Florida campus, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute (http://www.moffitt.org) is the only Florida-based cancer center with the NCI designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center for its excellence in research and contributions to clinical trials, prevention and cancer control. Moffitt currently has 16 affiliates in Florida, one in Georgia and two in Puerto Rico. Additionally, Moffitt is a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a prestigious alliance of the country's leading cancer centers, and is listed in U.S. News & World Report as one of America's Best Hospitals for cancer. Moffitt's sole mission is to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer.
CONTACT: John L. Tonkinson, PhD Mary Moynihan VP, Business Development M2Friend Biocommunications HistoRx, Inc. (802) 951-9600 (203) 498-7500 mary@m2friend.comJohn.Tonkinson@historx.com
HistoRx, Inc.CONTACT: John L. Tonkinson, PhD, VP, Business Development of HistoRx,Inc., +1-203-498-7500, or John.Tonkinson@historx.com; or Mary Moynihan ofM2Friend Biocommunications, +1-802-951-9600, or mary@m2friend.com, forHistoRx, Inc.
