Old news with some qoutes From Biomoda:
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Dr. Jeff Garwin
BioModa Inc.
Phone: 888-848-8594
Email: info@biomoda.com
Web Site: biomoda.com
MEDICAL / BUSINESS NEWS
TESTING BEGINS ON NEW TEST FOR EARLY DETECTION OF LUNG CANCER
[Albuquerque, New Mexico, 10/1/98] A new screening test called TCPP,
which may provide lung cancer detection 5 to 7 years earlier than
current diagnostic tools, has begun human trials in a commercial setting
this month.
BioModa Inc. contracted with a commercial lung cytology laboratory to
perform process optimization work on the TCPP test, which can detect
cancer cells in sputum samples. This work has been completed. The
laboratory will now conduct a study comparing BioModa's patented TCPP
technology with current state-of-the-art cytopathology, expecting to
complete the study before the end of October 1998.
90% of lung cancer victims are smokers, and each day 471 Americans are
diagnosed with the disease. Each day in the U.S. 420 lung cancer victims
die from the disease, a survival rate of 15%.
Early detection of the disease could raise the survival rate of these
people to 85%, but current tests cannot detect the disease early enough.
The new TCPP screening test may provide the lifesaving advantage of
early detection. The test is performed on sputum, lung secretions that
are coughed up by smokers or other individuals at risk for lung cancer.
"We set out to increase the survival rate of people with lung cancer by
detecting the disease early," states BioModa's Chief Technical Officer,
Jeff Garwin, M.D., Ph.D. "This new technology may not only provide early
detection, but may also provide more efficient ways to treat and manage
lung cancer. This integrated disease management approach is at the
cutting edge of biomedical research."
Dr. Edward Ellinwood and his colleagues, at Los Alamos National
Laboratory and St. Mary's Hospital, recognized that special porphyrins,
a class of molecules that occur commonly in the human body, could be
used to detect, locate, and treat lung cancer. Locating and treating
lung cancer in the body could be accomplished by binding radioactive
atoms to the porphyrin molecules. These radioactive porphyrins would
find and penetrate cancer cells. With this "cancer detector", doctors
could locate and kill lung cancer cells in the patient's body, with
minimum damage to surrounding cells.
"In 1995, our company created a licensing partnership with Los Alamos
National Laboratory in New Mexico," states BioModa's President Ari
Ma'ayan. "We are nearing our goal of marketing the first technology
useful for large scale screening for lung cancer. We would like this to
be a 'Pap smear for smokers.'" |
