Thursday, February 12, 2015
Molecular diagnostics company Novigenix SA announced today it acquired Colox®, a new molecular blood test for the detection of colorectal cancer and pre-cancerous lesions (adenomatous polyps). Colox has been approved for sale in Europe, and has been launched commercially in Switzerland. Novigenix aims to increase the availability of Colox in Switzerland and Europe through partnerships.
Brian Hashemi, Executive Chairman of Novigenix SA, said: “Our vision is to support physicians and the healthcare community in significantly reducing cancer mortality through the early diagnosis and intervention of colorectal cancer. We are committed to making Colox available to physicians and patients across Switzerland, followed by expansion in other European countries. Colorectal cancer is today the third most lethal cancer, but can be largely prevented if detected early by an accurate, reliable, and convenient test such as Colox.”
Colox has been tested in a multi-center clinical study in Switzerland led by Professor Gian Dorta, MD, in Internal Medicine Department, at the Service of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne (CHUV). “Colox accurately and reliably detects both adenomatous polyps and early stages of colorectal cancer with a convenient blood test that can be ordered as part of a routine medical checkup. As a result Colox has the potential to dramatically increase screening compliance and reduce the mortality rate from this deadly disease,” said Professor Dorta.
Colox, originally developed by Diagnoplex SA, represents a new generation of cancer diagnostic tests based on the response of the organism against the tumor. Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) are particularly responsive to growing adenomatous polyps and colorectal carcinomas. Determining the expression of 29 genes in PBMCs provides a telltale sign of the early stages of colorectal cancer. Gene expression data are interpreted by Novigenix’s proprietary algorithm which generates the Colox test report. This algorithm is based on classifier combinations derived from mathematical analytical methods that underpin the reliability of the test.
Source : http://finance.yahoo.com/
