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Cangen Biotechnologies and Olympus Expand Collaboration to Develop High-Throughput Molecular Diagnostic Test for Early Detection of Lung Cancer

Posted on: Friday, 6 January 2006, 09:00 CST

Cangen Biotechnologies, Inc. today announced the expansion of its ongoing research collaboration with Olympus Corporation, initiated in May 2005, to develop a hybrid DNA-based and protein-based diagnostic test for use in the early detection of lung cancer. The expanded collaboration includes funding for a prospective clinical study.

The goal of this research collaboration is the establishment of a blood-based molecular diagnostic test for early detection of lung cancer. The identification of specific DNA markers is underway. Several key DNA markers with 70-80% accuracy have been identified from surgically resected samples obtained by Cangen from Hyundai Hospital in Korea during 2005. The identified markers can be used as a hybrid with protein-based markers to improve sensitivity and specificity. Olympus and Cangen are aiming for FDA approval after approximately two years.

Cangen has commenced patient recruitment for the study at clinical sites in Asia and will receive funding from Olympus in support of the study and ongoing research and clinical development efforts regarding lung cancer detection. Cangen will manage the study from its Asia Clinical Trial Center in Seoul, Korea.

"With our partners at Olympus, we have made dramatic progress over the last six months in the development of the test and platform for the early detection of lung cancer," stated Chul So Moon, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and Chief Science Officer of Cangen Biotechnologies. "This additional commitment by Olympus to support the clinical development of our lung cancer detection technology underscores the viability of the technology as a key tool in saving human life."

"This expansion of the collaboration launched last May continues our joint efforts to commercialize Cangen's promising cancer diagnostic technologies," said Hiroyuki Yoshimori, Division Manager of Biomedical Business Incubation Division in Olympus Corporation. "We are most pleased to support the clinical study. Commercialization of this technology will be for be mutual benefit of both companies, " added Mr. Yoshimori.

Richard A. Silfen, President and Chief Financial Officer of Cangen Biotechnologies, added, "The opportunity to expand our collaboration with Olympus into the clinical development setting will accelerate our effort to commercialize the lung cancer diagnostic product. Equally important, by developing the ability to perform the test on Olympus' market-leading platform, we are seeking to make the diagnostic product available globally to people at risk of contracting the disease."

Cangen Biotechnologies, Inc. is a cancer-focused biotechnology company developing non-invasive diagnostic tests for early detection of cancer, chemosensitivity technologies to enhance the selection of cancer therapeutic regimes as well as targeted drug and biologic cancer therapies, including vaccines. The company is currently enrolling patients in a Phase 3 study to evaluate a molecular diagnostic test for the early detection of bladder cancer, based on microsatellite DNA instability. Cangen Biotechnologies is headquartered in Bethesda, MD, has laboratories in Rockville, MD and conducts additional research at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. The company has a clinical trial center in Seoul, Korea and operations in Tokyo, Japan. Cangen is on the world wide web at http://www.cangenbio.com.

Olympus Corporation is a global precision technology leader in designing and delivering solutions for medical and healthcare, imaging and information, and industrial applications. Olympus leverages research and development investment in technology and manufacturing processes across various business lines which include;

-- Gastrointestinal endoscopes, accessories, and minimally invasive surgical products;

-- Advanced clinical and research microscopes;

-- Lab automation systems, chemistry-immuno and blood analyzers and reagents;

-- Digital and film cameras and digital voice recorders.

-- Information processing equipment, industrial video scopes, and industrial microscopes

Source: Business Wire

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