MELBOURNE, Australia, June 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Circadian Technologies Limited (ASX: CIR, OTCQX: CKDXY) announces that it has been advised by its development partner, Healthscope Advanced Pathology, that it will commercially launch Circadian's novel technology for aid in the diagnosis of "Cancers of Unknown Primary" (CUP), on Monday July 16 2012 in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia under the brand CUPGUIDE.
The diagnostic test method has been developed in collaboration between Circadian, Healthscope, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, a leading specialty cancer centre, and scientists at NICTA, Australia's Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Research Centre of Excellence.
A publication in March 2012 from Healthscope reported that the CUP test was able to detect actual primary source of tumour type with 93% accuracy within the first three predictions and had 98.5% specificity across 15 different tumour types.
Healthscope, through its subsidiary Clinical Laboratories Pty Ltd, has rights to develop, clinically validate and market the test throughout Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore. Circadian retains rights to market the test in the remainder of the world. Healthscope has paid Circadian an upfront fee, and will pay a royalty on sales of the test. Circadian, through its wholly owned subsidiary Cancer Therapeutics Limited, owns exclusive worldwide rights to the test through a licensing arrangement with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and NICTA.
The CUP diagnostic methodology identifies a patient's tumour type by comparing its pattern of gene expression to a database of known tumours. It is hoped that by correctly identifying a patient's tumour type, clinicians can choose the most effective treatment strategy for the cancer. CUP is generally less well known and publicised than other cancer types. However, it is actually more common than leukaemia and is the fifth most common cause of death due to cancer in Australia. In 2007, Cancer Council Australia estimated the incidence of CUP to be around 2900 case per annum; American Cancer Society estimated USA incidence at around 32,000 per annum and Cancer Research UK estimated UK incidence at 14,000 per annum.
Robert Klupacs, Circadian Managing Director and CEO stated, "We are absolutely delighted that after all of the efforts of the collaborative partners that CUPGUIDE will now be available to oncologists and pathologists. We are extremely hopeful that CUPGUIDE will have a major impact in significantly improving the clinical diagnosis of CUP."
Dr Keith Byron, Scientific Director of Healthscope's Advanced Pathology Division said, "Healthscope is proud and excited that after the extensive development program we have undertaken with our partners that we will now be able to provide this ground breaking diagnostic technology on a commercial basis. The test is an important addition to our existing business of providing diagnostic tools for doctors throughout our 43 hospitals and the health care industry in general."
Prof David Bowtell, Head of the Cancer Genomics Program at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and a co-inventor of the diagnostic methodology added, "The approach was initially developed in our lab several years ago but the assay needed to be made more generally available. Circadian and Healthscope have been critical to taking the work forward and it is very gratifying that this product of our translational research efforts will be made available to clinicians throughout the region. The concept of personalising treatments for patients based on highly specialised diagnostics is now very well accepted in oncology and has been shown to have significant patient benefit. We believe that the assay will lead to earlier diagnosis, improved treatment outcomes and enhanced quality of life for patients."
Dr Adam Kowalczyk, Leader of Diagnostic Genomics Team in NICTA's Victorian Research Laboratory, and a co-inventor of the diagnostic methodology added, "It is very satisfying that formal techniques for signal detection and pattern recognition can be utilised in practical medical applications. This diagnostic test heralds imminent arrival of many new developments bringing promises of personalised medicine and genomics, in particular, to everyday usage that benefits patients."
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Healthscope to commercially launch Circadian's Cancers of Unknown Primary Diagnostic Test
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