More Powerful Diagnostics Being Developed for Ovarian/Breast Cancers

An agreement aimed at improving the early detection of ovarian and breast cancers will ultimately enable earlier and more effective treatment.

Negotiated by University College London Business (UCLB; London, United Kingdom) the agreement grants Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD; Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) exclusive access to UCLB's biobanks, which contain more than 200,000 human patient samples collected over many years in prospective screening clinical trials for the detection and management of epithelial ovarian cancer. BD will use these samples to develop and validate new biomarker assays.

BD is pursuing screening and monitoring assays for ovarian and breast cancer based upon the detection of proprietary biomarker panels. The company plans to provide new tests that will help detect and improve the management of these diseases. At present, ovarian cancer is rarely detected early and most often results in death within five years. BD is also investigating the use of proprietary molecular biomarkers and reagents to predict a patient's risk of breast cancer recurrence and to help select treatment for patients in the early stages of disease.

"The key to defeating ovarian and breast cancers is detecting the diseases early and managing them effectively. This hinges on diagnostic tests that provide clinicians with timely and accurate information," said Wayne Brinster, vice president and general manager, Women's Health and Cancer, BD Diagnostics. "To develop new tests, you need to first validate them against a robust set of samples that very few institutions possess to assure the test is performing as planned. The ability to access UCL's samples and work with its leading researchers represents a major step toward BD's goal of developing and commercializing tests that significantly improve the detection and management of these deadly cancers."

Ovarian and breast cancers are among the two most deadly for women. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women today, after lung cancer. It also is the most common cancer among women, excluding nonmelanoma skin cancers.

Related Links:
University College London Business
Becton, Dickinson and Company