NMPS--Biotech--Cancer Detection-- John Hopkins Researcher to Collaborate with NMPS on a Prostrate Cancer Test.
Dr Alan Partin, is Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Urology.
Urology is the Primary Journal for these guys. (Boldly Restatement of what Mike said, Read the post I am Responding too
NMPS is a company with a 85 million market cap today with it selling for 4.00 a share.
John
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Tuesday October 19, 9:39 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Matritech, Inc.
Matritech and Johns Hopkins Researcher Collaborate to Develop Prostate Cancer Test
"... the expression of YL-1 appears to be related to aggressive prostate cancer, suggesting a potential marker ..." Excerpted from The Journal of Urology April 1998
NEWTON, Mass., Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Matritech, Inc. (Nasdaq: NMPS - news) announced today that it has entered into a collaboration with Alan Partin, M.D., Ph.D., of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, to develop a new prostate cancer test that has the potential to differentiate between aggressive and low-grade disease, thereby indicating the extent of treatment necessary and improving the patient's quality of life.
The novel, proprietary prostate cancer test will measure the amount of a YL-1, a nuclear matrix protein (NMP), a high expression of which has been found in prostate cancer tissue with a high Gleason score. A high Gleason score is an indicator of aggressive disease.
A preliminary study by investigators of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, published in the April 1998 issue of The Journal of Urology, found that the incidence of YL-1 is associated with the poor prognosis prostate cancers. ``Analysis of 39 human prostate cancer specimens has demonstrated a specific nuclear matrix protein, YL-1, present in the majority of aggressive tumors and which was not seen in any of the 10 normal prostates,' according to the Johns Hopkins investigators who conducted the study.
``We are very pleased to be working with Dr. Partin, one of the pioneers in prostate cancer treatment,' said David L. Corbet, President and Chief Operating Officer of Matritech. ``Currently we believe there is no reliable, cost-effective test to determine which prostate cancer patients are at the highest risk for disease progression and, therefore, would require radical treatment. This nuclear matrix protein, YL-1, has the potential to fill that void.
``We have collaborated with Dr. Partin on several investigations of nuclear matrix proteins in the past and look forward to continuing that productive relationship,' added Corbet. ``Although much further study is required, YL-1 has the potential to impact prostate cancer therapy and thereby spare some patients the potential complications of aggressive treatment.'
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in men. There were an estimated 179,300 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States in 1999. Although an estimated 37,000 prostate cancer patients died in 1999, the five-year survival rate is 100 percent when the disease is detected early. The most life threatening, late-stage forms of prostate cancer often require surgical removal of the prostate, which can lead to complications such as impotence and incontinence.
Matritech's core technology is based on the detection of cancer related nuclear matrix proteins (NMPs) that are detected in body fluids or cells. Levels of these proteins can correlate with the presence of cancer, even at early stages. The Company is developing and commercializing innovative serum-, cell- and urine-based NMP diagnostics that enable physicians to reliably detect and monitor the presence of bladder, cervical, colon, breast and prostate cancers.
The NMP22© Test Kit for bladder cancer has been cleared by the U.S. FDA for monitoring patients who have previously been treated for bladder cancer, and is under review for testing symptomatic, but previously undiagnosed bladder cancer patients. NMP22 is also approved for detection and management of bladder cancer in China and in Japan. The test is also in use in Europe. In addition to the NMP22 Test Kit, the Company has developed an NMP179(TM) cervical cancer kit, a NuMA(TM) Colon Cancer Test Kit, and has products for breast and prostate cancer under development. |
