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Jun 9 2008, 9:05 PM EST
Researchers identify biomarkers of early-stage pancreatic cancer in mice and man
EUREKALERT
Contact: Kristen Woodward
kwoodwar@fhcrc.org
206-667-5095
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Findings bring scientists a big step closer to developing a blood test for early detection
SEATTLE A multicenter team of researchers has identified a panel of proteins linked to early development of pancreatic cancer in mice that applies also to early stages of the disease in humans a breakthrough that brings scientists a significant step closer to developing a blood test to detect the disease early, when cure rates are highest.
The findings, by senior author Samir "Sam" Hanash, M.D., Ph.D., of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, will be published in the June 10 issue of PLoS Medicine, a freely available, open-access online journal. Investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital, University of Michigan and Belfer Institute for Innovative Cancer Science at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute collaborated on the research.
"Our team identified, for the first time, protein changes associated with early-stage pancreatic-tumor development in genetically engineered mice that were also found to be associated with the presence of the disease in humans at an early, pre-symptomatic stage," said Hanash, head of the Hutchinson Center's Molecular Diagnostics Program. Hanash is an international leader in the field of proteomics, which seeks to identify clinically relevant trace proteins, or biomarkers, that are leaked by tumors into the blood. Scientists believe that such proteins could be used in screening blood tests for early and more accurate detection of cancer and other diseases.
"Our findings represent a breakthrough in the application of advanced proteomic technologies and mouse models to cancer-biomarker discovery," said Hanash, also a member of the Hutchinson Center's Public Health Sciences Division.
The five-biomarker panel, if developed into a commercial screening test, may be particularly useful when combined with a currently available test that measures a pancreatic-cancer biomarker called CA19.9, which is elevated in 80 percent of newly diagnosed patients but is not linked to asymptomatic, early-stage disease. Together, the biomarker panel and CA19.9 may significantly improve the detection of early-stage disease prior to the onset of symptoms and may also help better distinguish between cancer and pancreatitis, a noncancerous, inflammatory condition.
Early detection of cancer is crucial for long-term survival. Most solid tumors can be cured 90 percent of the time if they're detected and treated early, whereas cure rates for late-stage cancer are about 10 percent. Early detection is particularly relevant to pancreatic cancer, which is the fourth-leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with a five-year survival rate of only 3 percent. Because the disease is asymptomatic in the early stages, most patients are not diagnosed until the cancer has spread beyond the pancreas, which contributes significantly to the poor long-term survival rate.
"There is a substantial challenge in studying the early molecular changes in pancreatic cancer because most patients are diagnosed with advanced-stage disease and so there is a lack of suitable specimens for biomarker discovery," said paper co-author Nabeel Bardeesy, Ph.D., of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center.
Finding telltale proteins that can signal the earliest stages of cancer development can be like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack, as blood contains a complex mixture of thousands of proteins. In addition, any two proteins may exist in concentrations more than a million-fold different from one another. "The ones that are likely to be useful for diagnosing cancer are probably the ones that exist at the lower end of the range, which makes them very hard to find with standard methods," Hanash said.
To guide their quest, Hanash and colleagues employed a variety of technologies to identify, measure and analyze blood proteins in mice and man. Since every protein is different, each has the equivalent of a distinguishing molecular "bar code." The goal is to identify protein signatures that are only present in cancer, which may then serve as biomarkers to detect early disease.
A significant boon to biomarker research and one of the great scientific advances in the past century, according to paper co-author Ronald DePinho, M.D. has been the incorporation of mouse models into many disciplines of science, including cancer research. "Our ability to now engineer mice with the same mutations that drive specific cancers in humans has provided powerful and accurate model systems to study virtually all aspects of the disease and then translate these new insights into improved prevention, detection and treatment strategies for cancer," said DePinho, director of the Belfer Institute at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
For this study, the researchers first analyzed blood samples from genetically engineered mouse models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma at both early and late stages of tumor development. Of nearly 1,500 proteins identified in these mice, five were associated consistently with a precancerous condition known as pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia, or PanIN, which, if left untreated, eventually progresses to full-blown pancreatic cancer.
The researchers then sought to determine whether the same biomarkers turned up in blood samples obtained from 30 recently diagnosed pancreatic-cancer patients. They also looked for the biomarkers in 13 people with asymptomatic, early-stage pancreatic cancer who had donated blood for another, unrelated study within a year of their cancer diagnosis. For comparison purposes, the researchers analyzed blood from 20 healthy subjects and 15 people diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis.
Next steps in the research will include validating additional candidate biomarkers and further testing of the biomarker panel they have assembled to see how well it distinguishes between pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. The researchers also want to continue testing the value of a biomarker-panel approach for early detection of pancreatic cancer among those at increased risk, such as people with a strong family history of the disease.
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The National Cancer Institute Mouse Models of Human Cancer Program, NCI Early Detection Research Network, National Institutes of Health, Canary Foundation, Paul Allen Foundation, Waxman Foundation, Verville Family Foundation and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft funded the research.
well, look at the bright side. No shares were sold today! (sigh)
nobody is pushing us down. It's just 14.7 pounds per square inch of your normal barometric pressure. Don't sweat it, it's all good.
zolax, we "get it". It's a speculative stock and there are no guarantees that we will make money or even recoup our original investment. We are big boys here.
By the way, you are not funny. I would think you would have a better sense of humor if you are standing on the sidelines and don't own BOCX shares. Are you lonely? Why do you post here other than to remind us that this is a speculative stock? You are a naysayer. Visit a board in which you have something positive to say.
BOCX can be frustrating... we already understand that and don't need to be reminded of it constantly. Good luck finding your entry point and comfort zone.
Gold Seeker, agreed, as I just responded. I have no beef at this time, should have let you guys handle Half's concerns without knowing the specifics. I will stay out of that one.
Whether it is disconcerting or encouraging, I want to here DEBATE and BOTH SIDES of the story. No problem on this end. I'm sure you will address it if there is a glaring blow below the belt.
I wish Dr. Moro would come out and SPEAK. Somebody give him a bullhorn please.
absolutely, Kag, this board should be sharing positives and negatives... upside potential assessed along with downside risk. I was going on the assumption that there was a beef by Half that was warranted. I have been away and not keeping up with the board. If I read something myself that didn't pass the good behavior test, I would have responded in kind because I'm not shy. But I don't require nor do I want a "fan club". Maybe Half can get with you on what his beef was. I was only commenting that he is an asst moderator. Didn't mean to be handing him bullets. I believe in giving people suspended sentences and benefit of the doubt! LOL
Half Glass, you are an assistant moderator, aren't you? Why can't you get with Kag and GS and figure a way to deal with this situation. I would think that being an asst or moderator empowers you to some degree to put an end to the bashing and clean the board up. No?
looks like things are getting a bit interesting (again). I just hope it won't take a solar eclipse before we see some light shined on what is going on. My eyes adjust to light quickly. I'm ready. Come on BOCX, throw us a doggone bone!
erthan, I respect your opinion. But that still does not excuse the sheer absence of regular updates for shareholders. For those who understand the company and stock less than you do, your words of great PPS to be taken advantage of... sound like something we have heard before in many other stocks and message boards. Just remember that a stock which goes from $100 down to $1, usually goes down a few pennies or dollars at a time. I wouldn't want to average down all the way to zero. You obviously view something going on that us normal joe's cannot see. And it's nothing of substance (or shouldn't be) unless whatever knowledge is in an official press release.
If I knew of "something" of significance going on, and not insider information but pure luck and observation or guesswork, I doubt that I would even post on a message board. I would just buy the heck out of the stock. But that would never placate the fears of those seeing their investment dwindle to nothing while in an information vacuum. It would be nice to get an informative update in which BOCX fields shareholder questions. If this is a real company and a real stock, it's time to act like one.
zolax, I agree that blame has to be placed on Mr. Moro. We can praise the doctor all we want for the science. Dr. Moro is right up there with the best. But as a businessman running a company, "Mr." Moro is not getting the job done or so it appears from our vantage point.
all I ever hear about is Dr. Moro this, Dr. Moro that. This doesn't even qualify as a mom and pop shop, which is why it's a speculative pinkie. We don't even have "mom". We just have "pop", Dr. Moro. Like I have said before, it's a one-man band and I'm not liking what I'm seeing and I share oppty's frustration. It doesn't matter if there is something coming or not, there should be regular and informative releases. With that not being the case, this looks not only speculative but an unwise investment for me. The RECAF platform all sounds great, but the mgmt stinks.
Ted, I too would like to see a break-out, but I too am really cynical at this point. I am less convinced that it is going to happen for BioCurex, the stock. It's like a one-man band. Dr. Moro playing tuba, drum, trombone. And you are correct... Abbott dropping to the wayside is not a positive thing at all. And even if there is a 3rd licensee, so what? That historically hasn't proven to be such a big deal... not from a $/share standpoint.
I'm losing faith in BioCurex for the near term and possibly longer term. Too much lack of news and lack of insiders buying and the trend has not been BOCX's friend. I would love to be wrong before I sell my shares. Seems like nobody knows what is being done by the company any longer. A black hole of information... it just doesn't exist.
does he mention that he wants to get the PPS growing? I haven't listened to the call. What a mess this stock has turned out to be. We're in mid-May. It remains that the split and talk of acquisitions were boneheaded moves by Walt, coupled with a tax snafu. I sure wish I could get a refund on my investment.
I met Dominic Chianese, or something like that spelling, who played Uncle Junior on HBO's Sopranos. I was embarrassed to tell him that I don't watch the show because I don't have HBO.
As for the TED segments, how often do they air? Is it a full season of different segments? One hour show?
Heck, I might have to break down and get HBO.
apparently the board lightened up to the point in loading up a fishing boat and taking the day off. Never seen the board so silent. Hope it's a big fish being hauled in.
all the sudden, this is like "what's my perversion?". I kinda like the flowers, I must say. Not surprised that the moderators left it on the board. Post of the day!
I have to be honest and say I would never ever be one of those VERY LARGE stockholders unless I was very connected to Siemens or Biosite or even Procter & Gamble... and saw some stuff going on in which I could put two and two together. Otherwise, it is a huge gamble buying stock in a near-one-man show. Knowledge is everything especially when speculating or acting as a venture capitalist. I have some connections with two of those companies, but unfortunately, not on the diagnostic side of their business. But I do have access to any P&G plant in the USA.
Laws prohibit me from carrying a camera phone. BlackBerry, no camera. Photographic memory though. ;o)
So how would Inverness view BioCurex, form a SWOT analysis? Anyone care to take a stab at summarizing Stengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats... from Inverness's vantage point, relative to BioCurex and whether to acquire the poor little company?
Obviously, IMA doesn't want to recognize BOCX unless absolutely forced to do so, and won't put out pressers about licensing, etc. We would like to see that, but they want to fly stealth for their own interests. Not to mention they would want to step on Dr. Moro's jugular and get the best price possible if they were to acquire. Hopefully, the good Doctor is carrying things on in a fashion in which BOCX does not look "desperate", so he can negotiate from a position of strength.
We thought Dr. Moro was doing just that with Abbott. Turns out he was dealing with Harvey the Abbott Rabbit, who had their focus elsewhere.
carefree, the latter link worked fine. Thanks for the link on DAKO.
IMA annual report, overview portion stated the following:
As a leading global manufacturer and supplier of rapid diagnostics, our products and services, as well as our new product development efforts, are focused in the areas of infectious disease, cardiology, oncology, drugs of abuse and women's health. With our 2007 acquisitions of Biosite, Cholestech and HemoSense, we established our company as a leading supplier of cardiology diagnostic products. Our acquisitions of Biosite, Instant and Redwood during the year enhanced our position in drugs of abuse testing. Additionally, with our December 2007 acquisition of Matritech, we also established a stronger presence in oncology, by acquiring the unique NMP-22® ELISA and rapid point-of-care tests for the screening and monitoring of bladder cancer. We expect to continue to expand in all of these product categories through focused research and development projects and further development of our distribution capabilities. During 2007, we also entered the growing health management market and we are confident that our ability to offer near-patient monitoring tools combined with value-added healthcare services will improve care and lower healthcare costs for both providers and patients. With our pending acquisition of Matria, we will be able to compete most effectively in the health management market, as Matria's services span a full range of disease conditions.
Our research and development programs have two general focuses. We are developing new technology platforms that will facilitate our primary objective of enabling individuals to take charge of improving their health and quality of life by moving testing out of the hospital and central laboratory, and into the physician's office and ultimately the home. Additionally, through our strong pipeline of novel proteins or combinations of proteins that function as disease biomarkers, we are developing new tests targeted towards all of our areas of focus.
During 2007, we also advanced another stated goal of establishing a worldwide distribution network that will allow us to bring both our current and future diagnostic products to the global professional market. We did this primarily through smaller acquisitions of local distributors which, from late 2005 though 2007, expanded our direct sales capabilities in Germany, Spain, Italy, England, the Netherlands, India, Canada, Australia and Colombia.
In addition, we continue to focus on improving our margins through consolidation of certain of our higher cost manufacturing operations into lower cost facilities, including our 300,000 square foot manufacturing facility located in Hangzhou, China, as well as our jointly-owned facility in Shanghai, and we are already seeing improved margins on some of our existing products that we have moved to these facilities. In addition, our business integration activities during 2007 met or exceeded our expectations, in particular at Biosite where we have reduced costs, integrated sales force efforts and improved manufacturing efficiencies. In 2008, we will continue to aggressively integrate acquired operations in order to achieve further synergies within expected timelines. During the second half of 2007, we also began implementation of a plan to consolidate sales processing and certain other back-office services from seven of our current U.S. operations into a shared service center, located in Orlando, Florida. This shared service center is expected to commence operations during the second quarter of 2008.
During May 2007, we also consummated our 50/50 joint venture with P&G for the development, manufacturing, marketing and sale of existing and to-be-developed consumer diagnostic products outside of the fields of cardiology and diabetes. By leveraging P&G's marketing and distribution capabilities, we expect that the SPD joint venture will expand the reach of our current and future over-the-counter diagnostic products, while allowing us to focus on our rapidly growing professional diagnostic and health management business units.
erthang, I would love to call Dr. Moro but I do not have the gift of gab and more importantly, I do not understand this science very well. There are more qualified people than me to call him. I assume the genie only gets so many wishes. Trust me, we don't want me using up one of those wishes (or answered phone calls).
I could think of four or five people here though... :o)
GS, my memory of reading the posts that evening runs counter to your memory. By the way, you did not post that evening, so perhaps you were far from elated. But we had some very giddy people here, I can attest to that.
So has it changed fundamentally as to what the Abbott presser was all about?... or are people getting a little cagey being that we are in a trading cage?
I am quite certain that we had half glass full types that saw that news as gushing. Nary and empty glass on the message board that evening. Go check the old posts.
I am looking for a BOTTOM... and it can't come soon enough.
Ted, the funny thing is that when the Abbott "revised deal" was announced, we had people gushing about what great news it was, like a new dawn was upon us.
If they are in fact returning the license, why don't we have TWO more licensees to sign on board? Why are we assuming there is only one left, the third of three.... when the first one has bailed?
okay, so we have a penny stock here... with all the hallmarks of a ... penny stock. This is not a revelation. And if you listen to some naysayers, not only should you be willing to lose all of your investment... well, you already have. Fantastic. Great message board material.
Ted, these are all valid concerns you are raising. This thing we are all sharing at this time is... "concern".
that unpolished gem is tasting like a cut diamond headed down the esophagus. Messing with my digestive tract at this time, in a very big way.
thanks Dick. Safe travels and enjoy the vacation time with your family!
Dick - hoping to get your comments as I haven't seen any from you since the CC. Your take please?
Effective Colon Cancer Prevention Treatment Discovered
ScienceDaily (Apr. 16, 2008) — Using a combination of a targeted cancer-fighting agent called DFMO and a low dose of an anti-inflammatory drug, UC Irvine researchers have reduced the risk of reoccurring colorectal polyps, an early sign of colon cancer, by as much as 95 percent with fewer toxic side effects.
The study marks a breakthrough in the effort to combat colon cancer, the third leading cause of cancer in men and fourth in women, according to Dr. Frank L. Meyskens Jr., the Daniel G. Aldrich Chair at UC Irvine and director of its Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.
"There is a great hope that we will be able to prevent colon cancer effectively using this method," said Meyskens, who led the clinical trial effort to test this drug combination. He will present his findings April 14 at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting in San Diego.
In earlier studies, Meyskens had established a safe and well-tolerated dose of DFMO (difluoromethylornithine) that was 1/50 of what would typically be used to treat advanced cancers. By combining this reduced dose of DFMO with a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug called sulindac, researchers believed they could improve treatment and decrease the reoccurrence of potentially cancerous colon polyps with reduced toxic side effects.
DFMO is the basis of the drug eflornithine, which was initially developed as a cancer medication and is no longer manufactured commercially for that purpose. Sulindac is sold commercially as Clinoril and is used to treat arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.
The researchers enrolled 375 patients who had a history of at least one colorectal polyp, or adenoma, within the previous five years. Patients were randomly assigned to either a combination of 500 mg of daily DFMO and 150 mg of sulindac or placebos. Patients were followed for three years, and adenoma recurrence was measured by colonoscopy.
Among the results:
* Overall risk for recurrent adenoma: 41.1 percent in placebo group to 12.3 percent in treated patients, a 79 percent reduction
* Risk for recurrent advanced adenomas: 8.5 percent in placebo group to 0.7 in treated patients, a 92 percent reduction
* Risk for adenomas larger than one centimeter: 7 percent in the placebo group to 0.7 percent in the treatment group, a 90 percent reduction.
* Rate of repeating adenoma among patients who had previously had more than one adenoma: 13.2 percent in the placebo group to with 0.7 percent in the treatment group, a 95 percent reduction.
The rate of reduction was so pronounced that the trial's independent data and safety monitoring board stopped the trial early.
An analysis of side effects and toxicity found no difference between the treatment and placebo groups. There also was no difference in side effects requiring an overnight hospitalization, gastrointestinal side effects or cardiovascular side effects between the two groups.
"What we have shown here is that there is value in testing these agents at lower doses and in combination to determine if we can achieve the same effect without the damaging side effects," Meyskens said.
it seems it was only four or five weeks ago that people were giving each other over-the-internet high five's on the BOCX presser in stiff arming Abbott. I wish you people would make up your minds.
:OP
Nebula... your mention of "malaise" is resonating with me. I don't think there is any way one can sugarcoat this one. This is not what I expected when I invested in SLP. And now the price per share has listing concerns if it starts heading towards $1.00.
Dick, the 2Q was pretty weak, and the street has not received the news well. Those forward looking statements you mentioned, are you "interpreting" something? Doesn't look good to me, to be honest. Looks like a long row to hoe and I would think that Walt is not too happy with his CFO at this point.
I saw the Kanzius segment with Leslie Stahl too! I was thinking the same thing... how may Dr. Moro be of service to these people. Good story on 60 Minutes... nicely done.
GS, just for kicks, let's say that Siemens will in fact be the third licensee, to be revealed in an upcoming presser by BOCX. Is there any reason to believe that such a news event would be met by the street any different than the Inverness news? Inverness didn't help us out any on the stock price and I'm wondering if we are resigned to the fact that a Siemens announcement could be received by wall street, with a yawn or no recognition. ??
Would we also expect Siemens to not put a presser about the BOCX license, in a similar fashion as Inverness... in which they are doing BOCX long-suffering shareholders no favors?
anything is better than a Shazam golly (ga-awwwwww-ly!)report.
that is sobering news that CRA has been compensated, however many pages long it is, it would be nice to see some independent coverage of BOCX.
it's a shame that 1Q didn't catapult us higher, if the deck was allegedly stacked in that quarter's favor.
some companies may be sitting down at a table and discussing plans for the next 12-18 months. But with BOCX, I get the feeling that such a conversation would be done while a certain figure is shaving in the morning looking in the mirror. He probably doesn't get much of an argument from other fellow workers.
I get the impression that BOCX is close to being a one-man company.
Apr 10 2008, 10:47 AM EST
Biomarkers may reduce need for biopsies
EUREKALERT
Contact: Lauren Mason
lmason@masonpr.com
210-857-2521
International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation
Heart and lung transplant patients may no longer need biopsies and could receive personalized care from biomarkers
BOSTON, MA April 10, 2008 Data presented at this weeks 28th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) suggest the potential of a significant impact of using biomarkers to reduce the need for biopsies and personalize transplant patient care. Non-invasive testing using gene-based blood or urine samples called biomarkers could offer transplant patients personalized care and medication and may replace the need for costly, invasive biopsy procedures that can be risky for patients. The meeting will run through Saturday at the Boston Marriott Copley Place and Hynes Convention Center.
Personalized care is an integrative process of tailoring care to an individual patients characteristics or preferences, based on each individuals unique biology, behavior and environment. At this years meeting, researchers are presenting data from gene and protein based blood testing that may be helpful for reducing immunosuppression. Related data suggests gene analysis may allow for prediction of future occurrence of cardiac allograft rejection and its diagnosis.
FEATURED DISCUSSION
Todays plenary lectures provide current perspectives on biomarkers in transplantation. In Biomarkers: What Are They" How Might They Aid in Care of Allograft Recipients and Other Patients, Christopher J. ODonnell, MD, MPH, from NIH National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute/Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA, will present data pertaining to personalized care, its benefits and future impact on heart and lung patients.
Following, Dr. Christoph Borchers, Director of the Genome Canada Proteomics Platform at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, will provide a look at the emerging strategies for plasma protein analysis in New Tools, Technologies and Results for Probing Proteomic Biomarkers in Plasma of Transplant Patients.
Finally, Dr. Ralph Weissleder from Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard will discuss Imaging Biomarkers: New Horizons and Opportunities in Transplantation, and will share the latest information on imaging biomarkers and how advanced imaging techniques may soon help in the management of transplant patients. Three related biomarker abstracts are also slated for presentation during the session.
In recent years, there has been an intensive focus on enhancing our ability to provide the most particular predictive, diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic guidance for patients. This intent has been enabled by unbiased and targeted examination of genotypes and haplotypes that may convey risk or protection against certain disease processes like immune rejection, as well as by defining the molecular signatures of a disease process like rejection by measuring mRNA, proteins or metabolites in the blood or urine. Distillation of such data, along with clinical features, is intended to improve care, reduce costs, and make patients lives more enjoyable, said Bruce McManus, MD, PhD, University of British Columbia, one of the Co-Chairs for the biomarkers plenary session.
Until recently, heart muscle biopsy was the only method available to rule out heart transplant rejection and guide treatment with anti-rejection, or immunosuppressive, therapy. Aside from the invasive and painful nature of the procedure, a biopsy is only able to detect rejection after damage has already occurred to the heart tissue. Similar dilemmas exist in the monitoring of lung transplant recipients.
Alternatively, non-invasive molecular testing of a routine blood sample allows analysis of gene expression in white blood cells, proteins in the plasma, and metabolites in blood and urine. The latter biomarkers provide information on the immune, inflammatory and injury status of the transplanted heart before tissue damage occurs. The new and original information on biomarkers and personalized care in lectures given at ISHLT will offer a deeper knowledge of this innovative direction that is revolutionizing health care. The discussion will also raise awareness of alternatives to biopsy procedures that are on the horizon.