Metabolite Profiling Technology Licensed to Evaluate Cancer Diagnostics

Matrix-Bio Inc. (Fort Wayne, IN, USA) has optioned metabolite biomarker technology to evaluate opportunities for new cancer diagnostic tests.

The company has signed an exclusive agreement with the Purdue Research Foundation (West Lafayette, IN, USA) optioning metabolite biomarkers and eight patent applications to appraise the commercial potential of cancer diagnostics tests based on the technologies.


Matrix-Bio's agreement is for one year with an option to extend the agreement. The optioned technologies include metabolite biomarkers for detecting esophageal, liver, pancreatic and colon cancer; for identifying liver cancer in patients with hepatitis C; and for predicting preoperative chemotherapy effectiveness for breast cancer treatment.

Matrix-Bio’s metabolite profiling technology identifies subtle perturbations in cellular metabolism that can be detected in blood and used to identify the presence or absence of diseases such as cancer with an exceptionally high degree of sensitivity and specificity. The technology was developed by Daniel Raftery, PhD, MBA, who founded the company and is its chief scientific officer.

The announcement comes on the heels of an exclusive global licensing and marketing agreement for metabolomic biomarkers Matrix-Bio signed with Quest Diagnostics (Madison, NJ, USA). Under the agreement, Quest Diagnostics has the rights to use the Matrix-Bio biomarkers for the future, potential development of a clinical laboratory-developed test to aid in the detection of breast cancer recurrence. Quest Diagnostics also has the option to pursue an appropriate regulatory pathway for an in vitro diagnostic version of the test

Eric Beier, MD and CEO if Matrix-Bio, said, “Metabolite profiling is an emerging field of diagnostics that looks at the changes in small molecule biomarkers in cells. Patterns of these metabolite biomarkers in the blood are altered when cancer is present. The technology identifies metabolic changes with very high sensitivity and specificity, and can detect various cancers in early, more treatable stages more accurately than currently available tests. Studies have also demonstrated that metabolite profiling can assist in monitoring cancer treatment." Dr. Beier added, “The agreement will enable the company to significantly expand its pipeline of cancer detection and monitoring tests, further advancing the company's leadership in metabolomic-based cancer diagnostic technologies.”

Related Links:
Matrix-Bio Inc.
Purdue Research Foundation
Quest Diagnostics