sphingotec
GmbH, headquartered in Hennigsdorf, Germany with U.S. operations in
Cambridge, Massachusetts, today announced that it has out-licensed two
of its biomarker assays—sphingotest® pro-NT and sphingotest® pro-ENK—to
GeneNews Limited (TSX:GEN). The biomarker assays will aid physicians in
risk assessment for breast cancer in females in the general population.
sphingotec discovers and develops blood tests to detect cancer,
cardiovascular conditions and kidney disease in high-risk patients.
sphingotec's new sphingotest pro-NT blood test measures the concentration of the body's own hormone neurotensin, a known individual risk factor for breast cancer. (Photo: Business Wire)
GeneNews expects to add sphingotest pro-NT to the menu of advanced
cancer assays offered by its U.S. joint venture, Innovative Diagnostic
Laboratory LLP (IDL), by early 2015. GeneNews/IDL will be the first
major U.S. laboratory to sell and market sphingotec’s innovative breast
cancer risk tests, allowing potentially millions of women to better
understand their individual near-term risk of breast cancer. The company
is also evaluating the potential expansion of IDL’s testing menu in the
area of breast cancer risk prediction through the addition of
sphingotest pro-ENK and other biomarker candidates.
GeneNews is committed to helping IDL become a leader in molecular
diagnostics and personalized medicine, serving as a strong
commercialization outlet for advanced cancer tests. Taking a
“multi-view” approach to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, IDL is
working to assemble—through a combination of internal pipeline
development, third-party licenses and potential acquisitions—a robust
menu of novel, patent-protected cancer assays to be offered throughout
the U.S.
“We are excited to sign this agreement with GeneNews, especially during
Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” said Dr. Andreas Bergmann, founder and
managing director of sphingotec GmbH. “Our partnership will allow
sphingotec’s markers to be available to potentially millions of women in
the U.S. It is our common goal to lower the incidence of breast cancer
by providing tests that are reliable, cost-effective and accessible for
patients at risk regardless of health coverage status.”
“sphingotest pro-NT is the third advanced cancer assay added to our
offering menu beyond our ColonSentry blood test,” said GeneNews
Executive Chairman James R. Howard-Tripp. “We believe sphingotest pro-NT
represents a major step forward in breast cancer detection and
management, and we are looking forward to making it available to U.S.
physicians nationwide through IDL as soon as possible.”
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in U.S. women,
exceeded only by lung cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates
that, in 2014, approximately 232,670 new cases of invasive breast cancer
will be diagnosed in women, and approximately 40,000 women will die from
the disease. As with most cancers, early identification of high-risk
women and intervention are the keys to improved clinical decision making.
Unlike other blood tests on the market that look for genetic indicators
for breast cancer, sphingotest pro-NT is a simple blood test for the
determination of proneurotensin (pro-NT). sphingotest pro-NT detects the
release of the satiety hormone neurotensin and is applicable to all
female individuals, regardless of genetic predispositions. A study
published in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Medical
Association (JAMA) in October 2012 demonstrated that the determination
of proneurotensin levels offered a substantial advantage in prediction
of breast cancer (O. Melander et al. [2012]. Plasma Pro-Neurotensin
Independently Predicts Cardiometabolic Diseases, Breast Cancer, and
Death In Women. Journal of the American Medical Association, 308[14],
1469-1475).
In addition, experts in the fields of breast cancer treatment and
biomarker research also support the work sphingotec is conducting.
“Breast cancer risk prediction is a major advancement for science
because it’s one of the main ways we can detect and treat high-risk
individuals appropriately,” said Dr. Max S. Wicha, MD, professor of
internal medicine and director of the University of Michigan’s
Comprehensive Care Center. “This could be the future of lowering the
incidence of breast cancer.”
“It is exciting to see that inexpensive, blood-based protein biomarkers
are now available for detecting women who are at high risk for breast
cancer, even when the family history is completely negative,” said Dr.
Alan S. Maisel, professor of medicine at the University of California
San Diego and director of the Coronary Care Unit and Heart Failure
Program at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System.
About sphingotec GmbH
The biotechnology company sphingotec GmbH, headquartered in Hennigsdorf,
Germany with U.S. operations in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was founded in
2002. sphingotec GmbH aims to develop diagnostic methods for prediction,
prevention, intervention strategies and early treatment of diseases in
the fields of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and kidney function. Using
biomarkers to indicate susceptibility for a specific disease provides
individuals with knowledge that they are at risk. The biomarkers
therefore create a starting point where intervention strategies can be
employed, as evidence-based recommendations on how to reduce risks are
always an integral part of the complete concept. Further information can
be found on our website www.sphingotec.de/en/.
About GeneNews
GeneNews is a company focused on developing and commercializing
proprietary molecular diagnostic tests for the early detection of
diseases and personalized health management, with a primary focus on
cancer-related indications. GeneNews’ first product, ColonSentry®, is
the world’s first blood test to assess an individual’s current risk for
colorectal cancer. GeneNews’ common shares trade on the Toronto Stock
Exchange under the symbol ‘GEN.’ More information on GeneNews and IDL
can be found at www.GeneNews.com
and www.myinnovativelab.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
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.
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