Genetic-Based Risk Test for Colorectal Cancer Being Developed

The development of a new genetic-based risk assessment test for colorectal cancer with clinical validation is being supported by collaboration between two companies.

Bar Harbor BioTechnology (BHB; Trenton, Maine, USA), Inc. and Clinical Reference Laboratory, Inc. (CRL; Lenexa, Kansas, USA) have announced the collaboration, which involves the continued development of BHB's new genetic-based test for colorectal cancer risk with clinical validation support provided by CRL's CLIA-certified laboratory services.

CRL will provide laboratory-testing services in molecular diagnostics and clinical trials of the new test. The new arrangement will give CRL and BHB the opportunity to combine BHB's bioinformatics and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay development team with CRL's extensive molecular lab testing experience to create new molecular diagnostic tests.

Further details of the tests remain undisclosed but both companies indicate that the agreement envisions future projects and the development of additional tests. "CRL is an ideal partner for our company as we continue to develop our risk assessment tests. Their CLIA-certified testing services accelerate our development plans by leveraging on their expertise and state of the art laboratory; we will get the results we need immediately," said Robert Phelps, CEO of BHB.

Bar Harbor BioTechnology manufactures software and consumables for purposes of genetic research in areas of cancer, stem cell research, immunology, metabolism, and specific neurological disorders. The company created a new diagnostic division in 2010.

CRL is a privately held reference laboratory offering testing services in the areas of clinical trials, corporate wellness programs, genomics, insurance, molecular diagnostics, bioanalytics, and toxicology.

Related Links:
Bar Harbor BioTechnology
Clinical Reference Laboratory