NEW YORK, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Xenomics, Inc. , the source of next-generation medical DNA diagnostic technologies, today announced patient enrollment has begun at Italy’s National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” for a tuberculosis monitoring study using Xenomics’ proprietary Transrenal DNA (Tr-DNA) diagnostic technology.
“Xenomics has been developing a clinical diagnostic test for active pulmonary tuberculosis based on detection of Mycobacterium specific DNA sequences in patient’s urine. We expect that the monitoring study will extend applicability of our test to include monitoring of tuberculosis treatment which is extremely important due to the significant rise in reported drug-resistant forms of Mycobacterium. Our preliminary data looks very promising and these studies will provide critical new data,” said Dr. L. David Tomei, CEO and Co-Founder of Xenomics.
Diagnosing and monitoring tuberculosis has always been difficult since the definitive test for tuberculosis in use today is a culture which takes up to several months to complete and is often unreliable. Therefore, individuals with tuberculosis are often unaware of their condition during that period and may be highly infectious. This is a serious problem in many parts of the developing world and a growing problem in the USA.
“Xenomics’ technology could provide accurate and immediate information to physicians for diagnosis and monitoring purposes. Our propriety technology is based upon the fact that fragmented cellular DNA from throughout the body crosses the kidney barrier and accumulates in the urine, a phenomenon originally discovered by our scientists” explained Dr. Tomei. “Through the analysis of easily obtained small urine specimens, these Tr-DNA fragments provide current and vital information about a wide range of conditions inside the body, including serious infectious diseases.”
About the National Institute for Infectious Diseases:
Established in 1936, the National Institute for Infectious Diseases (Istituto Nazionale per la Malattie Infettive “Lazarus Spallanzani”) is devoted to the prevention, diagnosis and care of infectious diseases. Centrally located in Rome, it is among the leading health care and research institutions in Europe and throughout the world.
About Xenomics, Inc.
Xenomics is a molecular diagnostic company that focuses on the development of DNA-based tests using Transrenal DNA (Tr-DNA). Xenomics’ patented technology uses safe and simple urine collection and can be applied to a broad range of applications, including prenatal testing, tumor detection and monitoring, tissue transplantation, infectious disease detection, genetic testing for forensic identity determination, drug development, and research to counter bioterrorism. Scientists from Xenomics were the first to report that fragments of DNA from normal cell death cross the kidney barrier and can be detected in urine. The Company believes that its technology will open significant new markets in the molecular diagnostics field. Xenomics has three issued U.S. patents covering different applications of the technology for molecular diagnostics and genetic testing and a corresponding allowed European patent for the Company’s prenatal testing applications. The Company has organized a joint venture to conduct research on infectious disease detection with the National Institute for Infectious Diseases (Istituto Nazionale per la Malattie Infettive “Lazarus Spallanzani”) in Rome, in the form of a research and development company called SpaXen Italia, S.R.L. For additional information, please visit www.xenomics.com. Xenomics’ stock trades under the symbol XNOM.OB and is also listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol XE7.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made in this press release are forward looking. Such statements are indicated by words such as “expect,” “might,” “should,” “anticipate” and similar words indicating uncertainty in facts and figures. Although Xenomics believes that the expectations reflected in such forward- looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. As discussed in Xenomics’ Form 10-KSB as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 16, 2006, actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of the following factors, among others: uncertainties associated with product development, the risk that Xenomics will not obtain approval to market its products, the risk that Xenomics’ technology will not gain market acceptance, the risks associated with dependence upon key personnel, and the need for additional financing.
Contact: Xenomics, Inc. L. David Tomei 212-297-0808 ldtomei@xenomics.com
Xenomics, Inc.
CONTACT: L. David Tomei, Xenomics, Inc., +1-212-297-0808,ldtomei@xenomics.com
Web site: http://www.xenomics.com/
