Diagnostic Alliance for Colon Cancer

A Research Support Agreement (RSA) in the field of colon cancer diagnostics has been announced by Fox Chase Cancer Center (Philadelphia, PA, USA) and Immunicon Corp. (Huntingdon Valley, PA, USA).

The RSA is for two years and provides monetary support for research into applications and further development of Immunicon's rare-cell detection and analysis technologies for the screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of patients with colon cancer. A main goal of the research will be to identify unique biologic targets or markers of clinical interest on the surface of and within tumor cells circulating in the blood of colon cancer patients.

Subject to regulatory approvals and other requirements, Advanced Diagnostic Systems, a newly formed division of Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics (OCD), will market exclusively any diagnostic products developed by Immunicon in the human cancer field. Immunicon announced the signing of a development, license, and supply agreement with OCD in September 2000.

"This association holds the promise for developing entirely new techniques for screening, diagnosing, staging, and monitoring colorectal cancer,” said Louis Weiner, M.D., chairman of the department of medical oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center.



Related Links:
Fox Chase Cancer Center