March 12, 2008 - The Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM) and San Diego-based AviaraDx will team up to support three new tests that help physicians personalize cancer treatment.
The AviaraDx tests can reportedly provide physicians greater understanding of the molecular biology underlying patients’ tumors. These test results will help physicians make more informed decisions in managing their oncology patients.
Under the agreement, CMM will educate physicians on the value and clinical utility of the tests, and coordinate quality-controlled sample preparation and shipping. Analysis of the tumor samples will be handled by AviaraDx in California -- a CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited laboratory.
Three tests are available: CancerTYPE ID(SM), H/I(SM) (HOXB13/IL17BR) and MGI(SM) (Molecular Grade Index). The CancerTYPE ID test provides a molecular classification of metastatic cancer, designed to pinpoint the tumor’s organ of origin, which has important treatment ramifications and can be problematic in a small but significant number of cases. The H/I test measures a two-gene expression signature and is an independent predictor of treatment outcome for breast cancer patients receiving endocrine therapy. The information reportedly may be used by physicians to make the decision about how aggressively to treat, or not treat, against recurrence. Lastly, the MGI test is a five-gene tumor grade signature which discriminates between tumor grades 1 and 3 and is able to reclassify Grade 2 tumors as Grade-1 like and Grade 3-like; many breast tumors are graded as intermediate (Grade 2), which is not clinically useful for the treating oncologist, said the company.
For more information: www.cmmdx.org, www.aviaradx.com