16 September 2008, London. ValiRx (AIM: VAL, "ValiRx", "the Company"), the cancer therapeutics and diagnostics company, has announced that its diagnostics division in Belgium ("ValiBio") is now progressing a prototype Nucleosomics? cancer detection test to the next stage of development, which will include testing patient blood samples. If successful, the test could pave the way for non-invasive tests for early cancers based on detecting "epigenetic" histone modifications in blood samples that correlate with a specific cancer.
The first prototype test, based on ValiRx's proprietary technology, has already been shown to provide a quantitative measure of epigenetic histone modifications in blood samples using standard laboratory ELISA methodology. Further prototype tests for other histone modifications are now planned over the next three months. Research currently suggests the de-regulation of normal epigenetic control mechanisms is implicated in the development and progression of certain cancers.
The Nucleosomics? diagnostic technology has been developed to measure specific histone modifications which have been shown to correlate with certain cancers. Unlike other epigenetic cancer tests in development, ValiBio's prototype tests use simple, low cost and established high-throughput ELISA technology, which means the tests can be performed on standard instrumentation available in all pathology laboratories.
ValiBio now plans to use this first prototype test, as well as further prototype tests with blood samples from patients who have been positively diagnosed with cancer to determine the diagnostic predictive correlation of the kits. Collaborations have been set up between ValiBio and hospitals in Germany and Belgium. If the correlations are positive, the Company will proceed to a wider patient sample study over several months. It is anticipated the first test could be launched by ValiBio within the next fifteen months.
Dr Satu Vainikka ValiRx's Chief Executive said:
"The Nucleosomics test will meet the large unmet medical need for non-invasive early cancer detection to improve patient outcomes. Many of the indications we hope to diagnose are often detected too late for effective treatment. This is especially true of colon and pancreatic cancers that progress without obvious symptoms".
The market for in vitro cancer diagnostics is estimated at US$5 billion, growing at 11% per annum*
* Source: IVD Technology May 2008,
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