Stella Diagnostics Inc (SLDX)

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Stella Diagnostics and the University of Kansas Medical Center Enter Into Collaborative Research Agreement
via The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/stella-diagnostics-and-the-university-of-kansas-medical-center-enter-into-collaborative-research-agreement-01615903798?tesla=y

KANSAS CITY, KS / ACCESSWIRE / March 16, 2021 / Stella Diagnostics, Inc. (OTC PINK:JMDP) ("Stella" or "The Company") has announced a Collaborative Research Agreement with the University of Kansas Medical Center ("KU Medical Center") to assess the predictability and clinical utility of the Company's STLA101 panel in Barrett's esophagus patients.

The collaboration aims to assess Stella's mass spectroscopy STLA101 assay through the quantification of novel proto-oncogenes in Barrett's esophagus tissue that either progressed to cancer or did not. Ajay Bansal, MD, Gastroenterologist Specialist and Associate Professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center will be the Principal Investigator for the study. This research has the potential to help clinicians better understand the biochemical mechanisms contributing to Barrett's esophagus progressing to esophageal adenocarcinoma, which has the fastest rising rate of incidence of any cancer in the United States.

Dr. Ajay Bansal, attending Gastroenterologist at KU Medical Center, stated: "My research interests has been highly involved in the early detection of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma, because if we can achieve this clinically, it will provide a massive benefit to patients with potentially deadly indications. The opportunity to simultaneously assess novel markers along with disease drivers that are well-described in the literature by utilizing the unique strengths of mass spectrometry will allow us to attain an enormous amount of molecular information on patients who did or did not progress to cancer."

CEO of Stella Diagnostics, Dr. Joe Abdo, says: "Our company mission is to provide guidance to gastroenterologists like Dr. Bansal in the management of Barrett's esophagus, dysplasia, and carcinoma. Our partnership with KU Medical Center will help continue to establish our novel diagnostic panel for risk stratification of disease progression in Barrett's esophagus tissue, which will have a significant impact on the surveillance and treatment of these patients."

Barrett's esophagus, the only known precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma, is estimated to affect 6 million Americans (Modiano, et al). In most cases, esophageal cancer is a treatable disease, but it is rarely curable. The 5-year overall survival rate in patients fit for treatment ranges from 5% to 25% depending on the stage of presentation. The infrequent patient with very early disease has a better chance of survival (cancer.gov). KU Medical Center and Stella Diagnostics will work to elucidate the proteomic expression trends that are contributing to the pathogenesis of BE tissue that progresses into deadly neoplasms, ultimately aiming to detect malignant transformations before cancer ever develops.