ST. LOUIS, June 11 MO-Orion-Genomics
ST. LOUIS, June 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Orion Genomics announced today that the
company entered into a worldwide exclusive license agreement with The Johns
Hopkins University (JHU) to commercialize products that identify patients at
risk for colorectal cancer. The license is based on a suite of issued and
pending JHU patents covering imprinting abnormalities of the insulin-like
growth factor 2 gene (IGF2). Orion's simple blood-based risk assessment test
is being designed to identify people who carry the IGF2 biomarker and may be
at increased risk of developing sporadic colorectal cancer. It is expected
that the test will enable at-risk patients to undergo screening for colorectal
cancer significantly earlier, allowing physicians to remove precancerous
polyps and prevent future colon cancer.
Two published studies involving more than 200 patients have found that
colorectal cancer and adenoma patients are at least five times more likely to
carry the IGF2 biomarker than age-matched cancer-free patients serving as
controls.
"We are pleased to obtain this exclusive license from The Johns Hopkins
University to complete the development of our lead cancer risk assessment
product and enter the market in the near future," said Nathan D. Lakey,
President and CEO of Orion Genomics. "Our colorectal cancer risk test has the
potential to save lives by identifying a group of high risk individuals who
are likely to develop colorectal cancer at a younger age, and who should
undergo colonoscopy screening 10 to 20 years earlier than the age that is
currently recommended."
Loss of imprinting of IGF2 is a non-heritable epigenetic mutation detected
in the blood of seven to 10 percent of the general population. Although
epigenetic mutations do not affect the DNA sequence of a gene, cancer
associated epigenetic changes can either turn off or "silence" genes that
normally suppress cancer, or can inappropriately turn on genes that can lead
to malignant cellular activity. Researchers at The Johns Hopkins University
are participating in a large multi-center prospective trial to study the link
between the IGF2 biomarker and colorectal cancer.
"If the power of this risk marker shown in earlier clinical studies is
confirmed by the large prospective trial now underway, it can potentially
change the way populations are screened for colon cancer," said Graham
Colditz, MD, DrPH, Associate Director of Prevention and Control, Alvin J.
Siteman Cancer Center. "The test may identify people who should be screened
earlier in life and more frequently, while also identifying individuals who
can start screening later than what is now recommended, thus serving as a tool
to help physicians in developing targeted monitoring plans and shifting
resources to the people most likely to develop colon cancer."
"Colorectal cancer is the second most deadly cancer claiming more than
52,000 lives in 2007 in the U.S., with treatment costs for colorectal cancer
estimated to exceed $8 billion annually," Lakey continued. "We believe our
risk assessment test will be easily incorporated into the routine management
of colorectal cancer. When used in conjunction with colonoscopy screening, our
test has the potential to reduce colorectal cancer incidence as well as reduce
associated colorectal cancer treatment costs in a U.S. clinical market size of
more than 81 million people."
About Orion Genomics
Orion Genomics develops epigenetic research tools and molecular diagnostic
products to detect cancer at its earliest stages and to aid in appropriate
therapy selection. The company has active biomarker discovery programs in
cancers of the bladder, breast, lung, ovaries and colon. Orion Genomics is
located in the Center for Emerging Technologies in St. Louis. For more
information, visit http://www.oriongenomics.com.
SOURCE Orion Genomics
