Breast Cancer Test in First Clinical Trial

A serum assay that measures the levels of mammastatin in a woman's blood for the purpose of identifying women with breast cancer and at risk for breast cancer is soon to be tested in a clinical trial at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas (Houston, USA)

Mammastatin is a naturally occurring protein believed to control cell growth in breast tissue. In two earlier studies, mammastatin was found to be present in relatively high levels in the blood of more than 85% of healthy women but low or absent in more than 75% of breast cancer patients. The clinical trial is expected to involve 200 women with representatives from groups with breast cancer, from groups with high statistical risk to develop breast cancer, and from groups of healthy women without breast cancer or breast cancer risk. The trial, to be supervised and reported by a major clinical study group, is expected to be completed in around three months. The Mammastatin Serum Assay (MSA) technology was originated by Dr. Paul Ervin, CEO of Biotherapies Inc., a unit of Genesis Bioventures. The technology is being commercialized by Biomedical Diagnostics (Ann Arbor, MI, USA), a joint venture of Biotherapies and Genesis Bioventures (New York, NY, USA).

"Although we have thorough proof of concept for the MSA technology from our initial clinical studies, this trial will demonstrate publicly and conclusively its value in helping physicians identify their patients' breast cancer risk. This is particularly important at a time when identifying risk can be used as a rationale for prevention,” said Dr. Ervin.




Related Links:
M.D. Anderson Research Center
Biomedical Diagnostics