Den 4. april vil Exiqon på en stor amerikansk konference præsenter en masse data fra deres projekt rettet mod tidlig opdagelse af tyk- og endetarmskræft. Nedenfor kan man se deres abstract.
For mig er det præcist dette program der gør Exiqon ekstra interessant. For her er der en mulighed for at ramme en sand guldåre.
Discovery of a miRNA-based RT-qPCR signature able to detect early stage colorectal cancer in blood plasma
Presentation Time: Monday, Apr 04, 2011, 4:05 PM - 4:20 PM
Location: Room W224 A/B/E/F, Orange County Convention Center
Author Block: Søren J. Nielsen1, Hanni Willenbrock1, Jacob U. Fog1, Nana Jacobsen1, Jan Stenvang2, Thorarinn Blondal1, Torben Ørntoft3, Nils Brünner2, Claus L. Andersen3, Hans J. Nielsen4, Adam Baker1. 1Exiqon A/S, Vedbaek, Denmark; 2University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; 3Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; 4Hvidovre Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
Abstract Body: Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks 4th in terms of prevalence and 2nd in number of deaths among cancers of the western world. Although early detection results in improved survival, and regular screening has been proven clinically to lower mortality from CRC, screening rates among the 50-75 year old population are unsatisfactory. There is therefore a clear unmet need for a quick, sensitive, specific, and convenient screening assay to select at risk individuals for definitive diagnosis by colonoscopy.
Cellular miRNA profiles vary according to cell type and state, and cellular miRNAs are exported to extracellular fluids by both malignant cells and cells of the immune system. Blood plasma and serum miRNAs are stable under standard clinical sampling protocols and are therefore promising candidates for minimally invasive biomarkers for diverse pathological conditions.
To screen for miRNAs in plasma, we developed an LNA-enhanced miRNA RT-qPCR platform with unprecedented sensitivity, selectivity and ease-of-use. An extensive informatics infrastructure has been put in place to allow semi-automated sample- and data-QC, and data analysis of large datasets. A reference melting curve database has been implemented to ensure the integrity of each data point, and appropriate controls monitor plate-to-plate and day-to-day variation. Different normalization protocols are routinely evaluated to ensure correct normalization of the dataset prior to data analysis.
Using this platform, we have performed a two-phased discovery program in plasma samples from stage II/III CRC patients and age- and gender-matched colonoscopy-verified healthy controls. A genome wide screen in blood plasma profiled 730 individual miRNAs from 50 stage II cancers and 50 matched controls. This allowed us to develop a candidate panel of miRNAs detectable in plasma and to calculate an appropriate design for the full discovery study.
In the second phase of the program we profiled the candidate 378 individual miRNAs in 120 stage II CRC, 50 stage III, and 170 matched controls. The results of these screens have given us a list of miRNAs that are statistically significantly altered between cancers and healthy volunteers. Some of the differentially expressed miRNAs include miRNAs with known roles in cancer and/or inflammatory processes. From this list we have developed a diagnostic miRNA signature that we are moving into assay development.
We will present our diagnostic miRNA signature and plans for our first validation study where we will test the signature in samples from a 5,000 patient retrospective clinical trial as well as future plans to test prospectively in an ongoing clinical trial recruiting ~5,000 symptomatic individuals.
For mig er det præcist dette program der gør Exiqon ekstra interessant. For her er der en mulighed for at ramme en sand guldåre.
Discovery of a miRNA-based RT-qPCR signature able to detect early stage colorectal cancer in blood plasma
Presentation Time: Monday, Apr 04, 2011, 4:05 PM - 4:20 PM
Location: Room W224 A/B/E/F, Orange County Convention Center
Author Block: Søren J. Nielsen1, Hanni Willenbrock1, Jacob U. Fog1, Nana Jacobsen1, Jan Stenvang2, Thorarinn Blondal1, Torben Ørntoft3, Nils Brünner2, Claus L. Andersen3, Hans J. Nielsen4, Adam Baker1. 1Exiqon A/S, Vedbaek, Denmark; 2University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; 3Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; 4Hvidovre Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
Abstract Body: Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks 4th in terms of prevalence and 2nd in number of deaths among cancers of the western world. Although early detection results in improved survival, and regular screening has been proven clinically to lower mortality from CRC, screening rates among the 50-75 year old population are unsatisfactory. There is therefore a clear unmet need for a quick, sensitive, specific, and convenient screening assay to select at risk individuals for definitive diagnosis by colonoscopy.
Cellular miRNA profiles vary according to cell type and state, and cellular miRNAs are exported to extracellular fluids by both malignant cells and cells of the immune system. Blood plasma and serum miRNAs are stable under standard clinical sampling protocols and are therefore promising candidates for minimally invasive biomarkers for diverse pathological conditions.
To screen for miRNAs in plasma, we developed an LNA-enhanced miRNA RT-qPCR platform with unprecedented sensitivity, selectivity and ease-of-use. An extensive informatics infrastructure has been put in place to allow semi-automated sample- and data-QC, and data analysis of large datasets. A reference melting curve database has been implemented to ensure the integrity of each data point, and appropriate controls monitor plate-to-plate and day-to-day variation. Different normalization protocols are routinely evaluated to ensure correct normalization of the dataset prior to data analysis.
Using this platform, we have performed a two-phased discovery program in plasma samples from stage II/III CRC patients and age- and gender-matched colonoscopy-verified healthy controls. A genome wide screen in blood plasma profiled 730 individual miRNAs from 50 stage II cancers and 50 matched controls. This allowed us to develop a candidate panel of miRNAs detectable in plasma and to calculate an appropriate design for the full discovery study.
In the second phase of the program we profiled the candidate 378 individual miRNAs in 120 stage II CRC, 50 stage III, and 170 matched controls. The results of these screens have given us a list of miRNAs that are statistically significantly altered between cancers and healthy volunteers. Some of the differentially expressed miRNAs include miRNAs with known roles in cancer and/or inflammatory processes. From this list we have developed a diagnostic miRNA signature that we are moving into assay development.
We will present our diagnostic miRNA signature and plans for our first validation study where we will test the signature in samples from a 5,000 patient retrospective clinical trial as well as future plans to test prospectively in an ongoing clinical trial recruiting ~5,000 symptomatic individuals.
4/3 2011 11:41 HenryAS 0
39740 Enig Trold man kan ikke undgå at blive realistisk optimist når man hører Lars Kongsbak, man kan hører på ham at det nu er en ægte optimisme der sidder på rygraden modsat tidligere hvor det virkede som om han havde sved på panden når han præsenterede Exiqon.
Bl.a deres projekt rettet mod tidlig opdagelse af tyk- og endetarmskræft isamarbejde/betalt af det offentlige er vanvittig interessant - og som hvis man regner lidt på det kan blive en sand pengemaskine fra 2014 :) der er jo egentlig ikke så lang tid til samtidig med at deres øvrige forretning nu balancerer og begynder at give overskud.
Jeg tror på at vi nu stille og roligt kører op fra ca dette kursleje 12-13 kr :) og dem der købte aktierne ved børsemissionen i 2007 til kurs 40 havde sikkert også en beregning på at den var det værd dengang plus at de vel også gerne så en forrentning af de 40 kr - så mit mål er kurs 40+ ultimo 2013 :)
Bl.a deres projekt rettet mod tidlig opdagelse af tyk- og endetarmskræft isamarbejde/betalt af det offentlige er vanvittig interessant - og som hvis man regner lidt på det kan blive en sand pengemaskine fra 2014 :) der er jo egentlig ikke så lang tid til samtidig med at deres øvrige forretning nu balancerer og begynder at give overskud.
Jeg tror på at vi nu stille og roligt kører op fra ca dette kursleje 12-13 kr :) og dem der købte aktierne ved børsemissionen i 2007 til kurs 40 havde sikkert også en beregning på at den var det værd dengang plus at de vel også gerne så en forrentning af de 40 kr - så mit mål er kurs 40+ ultimo 2013 :)
