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This Week In Diagnostics

Skin cancer detection clinical study results to be published in Cancer Research

Vancouver-based Verisante Technology (TSX VENTURE: VRS) said that the results of the statistical analysis on data from a clinical study of the Verisante Aura™, have been accepted for publication by Cancer Research, a peer reviewed journal of the American Association of Cancer Research. The paper, titled Real-time Raman spectroscopy for in vivo skin cancer diagnosis, was co-authored by Drs. Harvey Lui, Jianhao Zhao, David McLean and Haishan Zeng, researchers at the Vancouver General Hospital, the BC Cancer Agency and the University of British Columbia.

The Verisante Aura™ is an imaging and spectroscopy system that scans for 21 different cancer biomarkers in less than one second; providing immediate, accurate results. Aura™ is indicated for use for the evaluation of skin lesions that may be clinically suspicious for melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and/or actinic keratosis when a medical professional chooses to obtain additional information to rule out one of the above conditions before making a final decision to biopsy.

PositiveID receives patent

PositiveID Corporation (OTCBB:PSID) reports that it was awarded U.S. Patent No. 8,133,451 for its Dragonfly™ Rapid MDx Cartridge-based diagnostic system, which provides the ability to deliver molecular diagnostic results from a sample in less than 30 minutes.

Quest Diagnostics launches renal test

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX) says it has launched the industry’s first molecular blood test for identifying renal (kidney) organ-transplant rejection. The Renal Transplant Monitoring laboratory-developed test is designed to help physicians detect kidney failure weeks before conventional tests or clinical symptoms signify damage. The new test is based on the RNA genetic markers forkhead box P3 (FoxP3), granzyme B (GZMB), and perforin (PRF1) licensed exclusively from Boston-based Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and New York City-based Weill Cornell Medical College, the medical school of Cornell University, among other markers.

MabCure to evaluate MAbs for use as diagnostics

MabCure Inc., (OTCBB:MBCI) has entered into an agreement with the City University of New York Center for Advanced Technology (CUNY CAT) to evaluate its monoclonal antibodies against ovarian cancer cells as diagnostic reagents. These antibodies were developed earlier by MBCI and have shown significant promise in detecting ovarian cancer in blood samples and distinguishing between cancer and benign tumors of the ovaries. Following validation, the company plans to evaluate the performance of its antibodies in diagnosing ovarian cancer in blood samples obtained from its completed Thai study as well as samples obtained from patients previously admitted to the Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Catholic University Hospital, Leuven in Belgium.

-Peter Winter

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