Alliance to Develop Thyroid Cancer Diagnostics

An agreement to collaborate on the development of diagnostic tests to detect an inherited form of thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN), has been announced by Pyrosequencing AB (Uppsala, Sweden) and the Mayo Foundation for Education and Research (Rochester, MN, USA.
MEN has been associated with specific genetic variations in the RET gene. The Mayo Clinic will use Pyrosequencing's technology to identify these mutations.

Genetic variations in the RET gene have been implicated in the development of medullary thyroid carcinoma, pheochromacytoma, and parathyroid adenoma or hyperplasia. Fast and accurate identification of MEN 2 mutations in high-risk individuals facilitates early clinical intervention. The American Society of Clinical Oncologists has identified MEN 2 as a well-defined hereditary cancer syndrome for which genetic testing is considered standard management.

Pyrosequencing develops and markets solutions for rapid applied genetic analysis based on its proprietary technology, a simple-to-use DNA sequencing technique. This technique is broadly applicable for the analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and for the identification and quantification of short DNA sequences used in bacterial and viral typing.

"Our collaboration with the Mayo Clinic is a great opportunity for us to apply our technology to the development of diagnostic tests in the field of oncology,” said Jerry Williamson, vice president and head of molecular diagnostics business for Pyrosequencing.





Related Links:
Mayo Clinic
Pyrosequencing