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Biosite and Oxford Genome Sciences announce collaboration in colorectal cancer

07 Apr 2006 - Biosite Incorporated and Oxford Genome Sciences (UK) Ltd. (OGeS) announced a collaboration for the evaluation of protein-based disease markers for colorectal cancer. The markers could be used for the development of potential blood-based diagnostic products aimed at expanding personalized therapeutic options for colorectal cancer. In particular, these blood-based diagnostics would be designed to enable the early identification of colorectal cancer patients that have relapsed, thus enabling clinicians to select the most appropriate therapeutic option.
 
Today, the fecal occult blood test and colonoscopy, a highly invasive procedure, are the most frequently used screening and diagnostic methods for colorectal cancer, which has a 30 to 40 percent recurrence rate within an average of 18 months after primary diagnosis. OGeS has developed a database (the Oxford Genome Anatomy Project or OGAP(r)) that integrates genomic, proteomic and clinical information derived from blood and tissue studies for a large number of diseases. Under the terms of the collaboration, OGeS will identify at least 25 proteins discovered in blood and tissue samples from relapsing colorectal cancer patients and Biosite will have the rights to develop blood-based diagnostic tests using one or more of those biomarkers. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.