ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Everist Genomics (EGI), a rapidly-growing personalized medicine company, today announced the launch of the world's first comprehensive companion diagnostics and prognostics portfolio to improve early diagnosis, management and treatment of patients with colorectal cancer.

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The portfolio of four individual tests provides innovative gene expression profiling and analysis of molecular markers to help physicians track tumor development and responsiveness to therapy, enabling personalized treatment across all stages of colorectal cancer.

The tests will be available to U.S. customers starting at the end of March, which is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

"Advances in molecular diagnostics and genomics have revealed that colorectal cancer is not a single disease with just a single risk factor," said Peter Lenehan, M.D., Ph.D. EGI's Chief Medical Officer. "In fact, it presents a high degree of variance at the molecular level that can significantly determine a patient's individual prognosis."

The company's portfolio is comprised of four unique companion diagnostics:

The human body is genetically equipped to ensure proper replication and repair of DNA, however the process can be imperfect, especially in patients with cancer. A mutation in the body's mismatch repair (MMR) system that normally helps correct improper DNA copying, can cause microsatellite instability (MSI), a condition in which replicated strands of DNA accumulate errors and become longer and shorter than they should be. People with MSI are more likely to suffer from errors in the repair and copying of their DNA.

MSI is an important consideration when determining which chemotherapy method will work best for a particular patient. Independent research shows that colon cancer patients with MSI may not benefit from, and might actually be harmed by, 5-FU therapy.These patients may be more responsive to irinotecan.On the other hand, colon cancer patients with correctly functioning microsatellites are likely to respond to and tolerate 5-FU therapy.

Research also suggests that patients with Lynch syndrome have defective DNA MMR systems. Physicians recommend that, given their increased risk for cancer, patients with the condition should be actively screened and often modify their lifestyles to prevent cancer. Doctors estimate that three out of every 100 colon cancers are caused by Lynch syndrome. Because Lynch syndrome is hereditary, active screening of family members of people who have the condition may also lead to early diagnosis and improved treatment planning.

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Everist Genomics Develops World's First Comprehensive Companion Diagnostics and Prognostics Portfolio for Early ...

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