- Published: 05 October 2009
- Written by Editor
DiagnoCure signs distribution agreement in the UK for its colorectal cancer test
DiagnoCure Inc. (TSX: CUR), a life sciences company commercializing high-value cancer diagnostic tests and delivering laboratory services, announced that it signed an exclusive agreement with a new partner, Lab21, a global provider of diagnostic products and services, for the promotion, marketing and selling of its Previstage(TM) GCC Colorectal Cancer Staging Test in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Lab21 will offer the Previstage(TM) GCC test as part of its oncology testing services, and patient samples will be processed in DiagnoCure's U.S. clinical laboratory.
"This new partnership is a key initial step in reaching out to the European market. Lab21 is a leading provider of state-of-the-art diagnostics and world class customer service. This new avenue will support the global growth for our Previstage(TM) GCC Colorectal Cancer Staging Test," stated John C. Schafer, President and CEO of DiagnoCure.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Each year, 36,400 people are diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the U.K. Of that number, about 9,600 will be considered free of metastases (stage I or II) following the surgery and may benefit from the more accurate staging offered by Previstage(TM) GCC.
Presentation at BioContact
On October 7th, John C. Schafer, President and CEO of DiagnoCure, will present an update of the Company's activities at BioContact 2009, a biopharmaceutical partnership symposium, held in Quebec City.
About DiagnoCure
DiagnoCure (TSX: CUR.TO) is a life sciences company commercializing high-value cancer diagnostic tests and delivering laboratory services that increase clinician and patient confidence in making critical treatment decisions. DiagnoCure Oncology Laboratories, a subsidiary of DiagnoCure Inc., launched in 2008 the Previstage(TM) GCC Colorectal Cancer Staging Test, the first GCC-based molecular test for the management of colorectal cancer. A major study published in the February 18, 2009, edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association demonstrated that GCC, to which DiagnoCure owns exclusive worldwide diagnostic rights, is the strongest independent predictor of colorectal cancer recurrence. The Company has a strategic alliance with Gen-Probe (NASDAQ: GPRO) for the development and commercialization of a second-generation prostate cancer test using PCA3, DiagnoCure's proprietary molecular marker. This test is available through laboratories in the U.S. using PCA3 analyte specific reagents (ASR) from Gen-Probe, in Europe as the CE-marked PROGENSA(R) PCA3(TM) PCA3 in vitro assay, and in Canada. For more information, visit www.diagnocure.com.
About Lab21
Lab21 is a global provider of state-of-the-art diagnostic products and services, supporting blood bank screening, medical diagnostics and drug discovery. Its customers include international healthcare providers, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The product division of the Company manufactures immunodiagnostic kits and reagents that are distributed into 110 international countries and is focused on infectious diseases for the blood-banking market. The service division has a growing test portfolio providing companion diagnostics and high technology molecular assays for the growing integration of personalized medicine into healthcare. These services are currently in infectious diseases, oncology and pharmacogenetics areas with emerging interests in cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Lab21's clinical reference laboratory and corporate office is based in Cambridge and has additional UK manufacturing sites in Newmarket, Bridport and Ipswich. It also has R&D operations in Cape Town, South Africa. The Company's investors include Merlin Biosciences, Nexus Medical Partners, Medicis Capital, Rowan Dartington and Kreos Capital. Website: www.lab21.com
Forward-looking statements
This release contains forward-looking statements that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expected. By their very nature, forward-looking statements are based on expectations and hypotheses and also involve risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, many of which are beyond DiagnoCure's control. As a result, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements regarding the outcome of research and development projects, clinical studies and future revenues are based on management expectations. In addition, the reader is referred to the applicable general risks and uncertainties described in DiagnoCure's most recent Annual Information Form under the heading "Risk Factors". DiagnoCure undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein unless required by the applicable securities laws and regulations.