PEB
29/07/2014 10:50
GENERAL
REL: 1050 HRS Pacific Edge Limited
GENERAL: PEB: e-commerce site goes live in NZ
Bladder cancer testing service: e-commerce site goes live in New Zealand
All New Zealand residents and healthcare professionals can today access the
Cxbladder cancer detection technology developed by Dunedin-based Pacific Edge
with the 'go live' of an e-commerce platform.
http://www.cxbladder.com/order-form
Customers can purchase the Urine Sampling System (USS) online for use in the
convenience of their homes or it can be bought by health care professionals
for use in their clinic.
Detailed reports will only be provided to the customers's nominated general
practitioner or specialist who are qualified to recommend further appropriate
action for the patient. The additional data from Cxbladder will supplement
the information available to urologists to enhance the standard of care they
offer patients.
Pacific Edge Diagnostics' Commercial Director Brent Pownall says the testing
service now available through Pacific Edge's e-commerce platform will give
people and healthcare professionals, particularly GPs, direct access to the
Cxbladder technology. To be able to collect a urine sample from the privacy
of their own home is a big step forward in the utility for people who wish to
take a more active role in providing their healthcare professional with more
information on their wellbeing. Easy access to the testing services for rural
GP's should also be a considerable benefit.
"Cancer is a concern in the community and bladder cancer is the fourth most
prevalent cancer amongst men and ninth globally for both men and women. The
quick delivery of results from the testing service will have the benefit of
prompt engagement between purchasers and their general practitioners or
specialists."
"The early detection of bladder cancer or other causes of haematuria leads
to early treatment and better outcomes for patients," says Brent Pownall.
Multi-centre peer reviewed clinical trials in Australia and New Zealand have
demonstrated that Cxbladder technology out performs benchmark technologies in
detecting the presence - or not - of bladder cancer in patients who have
blood in their urine (haematuria). Further validation has recently been
carried out by urologists providing services in two of New Zealand's District
Health Boards.
"There is a rapidly growing, global trend where patients are taking a greater
interest in their well-being and diagnosis of ailments. Pacific Edge's
e-commerce site recognises this desire by providing ease of access to this
advanced cancer detection technology and providing a flow-on into the
professional healthcare providers."
It is estimated that there are close to 10,000 New Zealanders per year who
have haematuria leading to approximately 600 New Zealanders a year with
bladder cancer and on average 170 deaths a year are attributed to it. Many
patients with haematuria currently go through the discomfort of a full
medical work-up often using invasive tests to determine if bladder cancer is
present. On average, approximately one in eight of those patients presenting
with visible blood in their urine are diagnosed with bladder cancer.
"Those who have been diagnosed with bladder cancer and need ongoing
monitoring of their condition know only too well the benefits of using
Cxbladder's testing system," Mr Pownall says.
Only New Zealand residents are able to access Pacific Edge's urine testing
service though the e-commerce site. Purchasers will be sent the proprietary,
easy to use, Urine Sampling System (USS) developed by Pacific Edge, to
collect a urine sample for the Cxbladder test.
"Many New Zealanders are becoming much more aware that there is a technology
available that can complement or provide an alternative to the standard
invasive tests, but are not sure how to access the Cxbladder service other
than through their doctor. This e-commerce site will enable patients to take
advantage of Cxbladder to maintain a regime of evaluation that suits their
individual needs."
The Cxbladder testing services e-commerce site has been reviewed and approved
by Medsafe, the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority,
and TAPS, Therapeutic Advertising Pre-vetting System of the Advertising
Standards Authority.
The e-commerce platform at http://www.cxbladder.com is a further addition to
Pacific Edge's drive to build commercial revenues from Cxbladder and to drive
demand for the product in the New Zealand market from both the patient and
the clinician. The Company's principal focus is on driving revenue in the
world's largest health market, the USA and achieving the company's target of
having sales revenue there of $100 million a year after five years of
trading. Four National Provider Networks (NPN) in the USA have signed up
Cxbladder for inclusion in their networks.
Pacific Edge is committed to growing its sales and is boosting the sales and
marketing team in the USA this year and building relationships with Large
Urology Groups, Integrated Healthcare Providers and adding additional
provider networks.
Here is your link to the online order form
http://www.cxbladder.com/order-form
For more information contact:
David Darling
Chief Executive Officer
Pacific Edge Ltd
P: +64 (3) 479 5800
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 completed and released its first
product for the detection of bladder cancer, Cxbladder, and is actively
marketing the product to physicians and clinicians in New Zealand, Australia
and the USA and soon in Spain.
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 Ltd and Pacific Edge
Diagnostics USA Ltd, and selected commercial partners in Australia and Spain,
Healthscope and Oryzon respectively.
www.pacificedgedx.com
ABOUT Cxbladder
Cxbladder is a proprietary, accurate molecular diagnostic test that enables
the non-invasive detection of bladder and other urinary tract cancers from a
small volume of urine. Cxbladder is commercialised in the USA as a Laboratory
Developed Test (LDT). It provides physicians and clinicians 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 Cxbladder cancer detection test
has been validated by a multicentre, international clinical study. Results
published in the Journal of Urology (Sept 2012) show that Cxbladder
out-performed all of the benchmark technologies in the clinical trial and
detected nearly all of the tumours of concern to a urologist; At a
performance of 82% sensitivity and 85% specificity the test sees 100% of T1,
100% of T2, 100% of T3, 100% of Tis and 100% of upper urinary tract cancers
as well as 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:00253211 For:PEB Type:GENERAL Time:2014-07-29 10:50:18
