National Cancer Institute Awards Small Business Innovation Research Contract to Rules-Based Medicine, Inc.
and Correlogic Systems, Inc. today announced the award of a National Cancer
Institute (NCI) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to RBM that
will further research on ovarian cancer diagnostic tests. The contract was
awarded through a peer-reviewed competitive process to develop biomarker
panels for the early detection of cancer and includes a Phase I “Fast-Track”
component and Phase II option, together totaling
RBM, located in
biomarker testing laboratory delivering robust assay data with applications in
drug safety and efficacy, disease diagnosis and disease modeling. Correlogic,
based in
technologies for the development of proteomic, metabolomic, and genomic-based
clinical prognostic and clinical diagnostic tests. The companies have
collaborated on production of Correlogic’s first ovarian cancer diagnostic
test, OvaCheck(R).
“An early diagnostic screen for ovarian cancer could greatly increase the
chances of survival,” said
research will integrate additional biomarkers associated with ovarian cancer
into the existing Correlogic panel with the aim of achieving sensitivity and
specificity levels that can open this test to a wider population of women.”
“Our search for additional biomarkers — and combinations of
biomarkers — for early disease detection is an ongoing effort,” said
Levine
on Correlogic’s extensive research and validation using multiple markers for
disease detection to take our test to the next level.”
Under the two phases of this project, RBM will develop and test
quantitative, multiplexed immunoassays incorporating 19 additional analytes
the two companies have identified as promising targets potentially capable of
enhancing accuracy of ovarian cancer detection. Correlogic will expand its
existing analytic platform to determine the efficacy of incorporating these
additional analytes into the existing assay. Upon completion RBM will add the
19 assays to its automated RBM Human Multi-Analyte Profile platform,
HumanMAP(R).
The project is being funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from
the NCI, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Health and
Human Services under Contract No. HHSN261200800045C. RBM received two
“fast-track” SBIR awards in 2007.
About Ovarian Cancer
The American Cancer Society estimates ovarian cancer will strike 21,650
women and take the lives of 15,520 women in 2008. It is the most deadly
gynecologic cancer, accounting for more than 55 percent of all gynecologic
cancer deaths. But ovarian cancer is also among the most treatable if it is
caught early. When ovarian cancer is diagnosed early and appropriately
treated, 5-year survival is 93 percent. However, less than 20 percent of all
ovarian cancers are found in this early stage. Progress continues, with the
development of new tests to aid in diagnosis of certain symptomatic women.
With further enhanced sensitivity and specificity that additional research may
provide, tests can be appropriate for a wider population of women.
About Rules-Based Medicine
Rules-Based Medicine (RBM) provides comprehensive protein biomarker
products and services centered on its Multi-Analyte Profiling (MAP)
technology. Its service platform (RodentMAP(R) and HumanMAP(R)) provides
pre-clinical and clinical researchers with reproducible, quantitative,
multiplexed immunoassay data for hundreds of proteins cost-effectively in
multiple species, and from a small sample volume. The Company also offers
innovative and proprietary ex vivo testing systems such as TruCulture(TM), the
first fully-closed, reproducible whole blood culture system. RBM is actively
developing multiplex diagnostic tests to detect the presence of complex
diseases and conditions in areas of unmet medical need such as
neuropsychiatry, nephrology, immunology and cardiology. More information about
RBM is located at http://www.rbmmaps.com.
About Correlogic Systems
Correlogic Systems, Inc. has developed patented technology and processes
with a wide variety of applications for biomarker discovery, disease
detection, and new drug discovery. The technology’s first application has been
in the field of proteomics – the study of human proteins. OvaCheck(R), a blood
test for detection of ovarian cancer, is Correlogic’s first diagnostic test
using its patented “Hidden Patterns” approach. Correlogic has entered into
marketing agreements with Quest Diagnostics, Inc., and Laboratory Corporation
of America for OvaCheck in
tests for colon, breast and prostate cancer. Quest Diagnostics, Mitsui & Co.,
Ltd., and Ahn-Gook Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. are equity investors in
Correlogic. Visit Correlogic at http://www.correlogic.com.
Cautionary Statement: Certain statements contained in this release are
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management’s
current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in
circumstances. Actual results could differ materially due to, among other
things, operational and other difficulties associated with integrating
acquired business, general business conditions, competition among managed care
companies, rising health costs, trends in medical loss ratios, health care
reform, delay in receipt of regulatory and other approvals for pending
transactions and other regulatory issues.
RodentMAP(R) and HumanMAP(R) are registered trademarks of Rules-Based
Medicine, Inc. OvaCheck(R) is a registered trademark of Correlogic Systems,
Inc.
SOURCE Rules-Based Medicine, Inc.