DNA biomarker used to develop diagnostic tool
A recently licensed DNA biomarker will be utilized in the development of a new diagnostic tool to test for neuroendocrine prostate cancer.
A novel patent-pending DNA biomarker from Cornell University (NY, USA) has been exclusively licensed to Empire Genomics to be used for the development of a molecular diagnostic tool. The tool is being designed to diagnose neuroendocrine prostate cancer and to help determine the best route of treatment for patients.
Neuroendocrine prostate cancer can arise de novo or can stem from prostate adenocarcinoma. The disease has a poor outcome since it remains hard to diagnose and because little is known regarding the molecular mechanism of the disease, there are no specific treatment options available.
Empire Genomics have designed a molecular diagnostic tool to combat the current issues surrounding diagnosis and treatment of neuroendocrine prostate cancer, and plan for it to be used in the diagnosis and determination of treatment plan for patients. Diagnosis will involve the assaying for an abnormal version of a gene known to be the driving force of neuroendocrine prostate cancer.
“We are delighted to work with Empire Genomics to help develop a commercial grade assay to test for abnormalities one of the key driving genes of the most aggressive form of prostate cancer. This clinical tool will be important as we move forward with precision medicine clinical trials for aggressive castration resistant prostate cancer lead by Himisha Beltran,” said Mark Rubin, Homer Hirst Professor of Pathology in Oncology and the Director of the Institute for Precision Medicine.
“We are very pleased to work with Rubin and Beltran and Cornell to commercialize this technology,” said Anthony Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Empire Genomics. “It is another exciting genomic tool that we have added to our exclusive precision medicine portfolio.”
Empire Genomics plan to develop the commercial grade assay for use later in 2013, with a view to partnering with a pharmaceutical industry company to rapidly group clinical trial participants.
