PEB
16/05/2013 14:36
GENERAL
REL: 1436 HRS Pacific Edge Limited
GENERAL: PEB: China Grants Patent for Detection of Gastric Cancer
16 May 2013
China grants Patent for Detection of Gastric Cancer
China, with one of the highest incidences of stomach (Gastric) cancer in the
world, has granted Pacific Edge Limited (the Company) its patent, 'Detection
of Gastric Cancer'. This patent defines technology that can be used for the
diagnosis of gastric cancer.
The granting of the Company's patent in China is a further addition to the
Company's suite of intellectual property that includes accurate tests for the
diagnosis and prognosis of several hard to detect cancers including those of
the bladder, alimentary tract, stomach and melanomas.
Earlier this year, Pacific Edge achieved a significant milestone in the
commercialisation of its molecular diagnostic technology with regulatory
approval to launch Cxbladder, its non-invasive detection test for bladder
cancer, in the world's largest health market, the United States. In addition
to the recent approval in the USA, Cxbladder is now being marketed in New
Zealand and Australia and soon in Spain, which has the world's highest
incidence of bladder cancer.
Pacific Edge now has patent rights for its patent 'Detection of Gastric
Cancer', in New Zealand, Australia and Europe in addition to China. Further
issuances for this patent are expected in other key geographies in the near
future.
Gastric cancer is one of the most frequent cancers in the world only exceed
by lung, breast and colorectal cancers. Almost two-thirds of gastric cancer
cases and deaths occur in less developed regions, including East Asia and
South America. In China, there are approximately 400,000 new cases of gastric
cancer a year detected and 300,000 deaths.
Pacific Edge Chief Executive Officer David Darling says investment in
intellectual property is a significant annual investment for the Company and
underpins the commercial capability of the Company's products.
For further information please contact
David Darling
Chief Executive Officer
Pacific Edge Limited
P: +64 (3) 4795800
ABOUT PACIFIC EDGE
Pacific Edge Limited (NZX: PEB) is a New Zealand based cancer diagnostic
company specialising in the discovery and commercialisation of diagnostic and
prognostic technology for the early detection and monitoring of cancer.
Products in development and in clinical trials are accurate and simple to use
genomic and proteomic tools for the earlier detection, improved
characterisation and better management of gastric, bladder, colorectal
cancers and melanoma. The Company has recently completed and released its
first product for the detection of bladder cancer, Cxbladder, and is actively
marketing the product to urologists in New Zealand, Australia and soon to be
Spain and the USA.
www.pacificedge.co.nz
ABOUT PACIFIC EDGE DIAGNOSTICS
Pacific Edge takes its exciting cancer detection tests to market through its
wholly owned subsidiaries, Pacific Edge Diagnostics NZ Limited and Pacific
Edge Diagnostics USA Limited, and selected commercial partners in Australia
and Spain, Healthscope Pathology and Oryzon respectively.
www.pacificedgedx.com
ABOUT Cxbladder
Cxbladder is a non-invasive, accurate test that enables the early detection
of bladder cancer from a small volume of urine. It provides general
practitioners and urologists with a quick, cost effective and accurate
measure of the presence of the cancer and provides urologists with the
opportunity to reduce their reliance on the need for invasive tests such as
cystoscopy. The recently published, Journal of Urology in September 2012,
multi-centre international clinical study recruited 485 patients from
Australia and New Zealand. Results show that Cxbladder out-performed all
other benchmark technologies in the clinical trial and detected nearly all of
the tumours of concern to a urologist; At 85% specificity the test sees 100%
of T1, T2, T3, Tis and greater than 95% of high grade tumours.
www.cxbladder.com
ABOUT BLADDER CANCER
Globally, bladder cancer has the 9th highest incidence and the 4th highest
incidence for men. One of the early symptoms of bladder cancer is the
presence of blood in the urine, haematuria. People with haematuria often
present to their general practitioner before being referred on to a
urologist.
There are a number of 'at risk' occupations that have shown a much higher
incidence of bladder cancer. Fire fighters and fire control officers have
shown in a US study to have a twice the incidence of bladder cancer over non
fire fighters. Smoking is a significant contributing factor (over 50% in
males and 33% in females, and approximately one of every two new incidences
of bladder cancer is linked to smoking). Exposure to certain industrial
chemicals or carcinogens increases risks for some occupations e.g.
hairdressers, painters, printers, fire fighters and metal workers and
chemical engineers. Incidence increases with age so the older you are, the
greater the potential for bladder cancer.
Bladder cancer has a very high recurrence rate of approximately 50%-70% with
up to 30% of these recurring as later stage tumours. This is a higher
recurrence than for skin cancer! However, bladder cancers are highly
treatable, especially if detected in the early stages. If diagnosed early
there is a much higher probability of survival for early stage tumours
relative to later stage tumours. This makes timely and regular surveillance
and monitoring of this cancer a key element of the clinical process and of
the individual's annual healthcare plan.
End CA:00236315 For:PEB Type:GENERAL Time:2013-05-16 14:36:35
