Data validate blood-based test’s ability
to detect colorectal cancer early and reliably
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, May 9, 2015 – Novigenix SA today announced the publication of
a clinical validation study of Colox in the highly ranked journal Clinical Cancer Research.
Colox is a blood test based on a 29-gene host immune response panel in combination with
tumor biomarkers for the early detection of colorectal cancer (CRC).
The study “Development and clinical validation of a blood test based on 29-gene expression
for early detection of colorectal cancer” was conducted across seven institutions in
Switzerland, and was designed to validate Colox on three independent test sets of patients,
who were followed up with colonoscopy to determine the clinical performance of the test
(sensitivity and specificity). The data show that Colox has a specificity of 92%, and a
sensitivity of 78% for CRC and respectively 92% and 52% for large adenomas. Professor
Gian Dorta, MD, of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Centre
hospitalier universitaire vaudois (CHUV) was principal investigator of the study.
Professor Curzio Rüegg of the Department of Medicine, Faculty of Science, University of
Fribourg, who was involved in the test’s development, said: “The inconvenience of current
methods to detect colorectal cancer results in low adoption and the majority of individuals at
risk not being tested. Colox has all the hallmarks of an effective and convenient test for
colorectal cancer that can reliably identify patients for referral to intervention by colonoscopy.
In addition, because of its unique combination of host immune response with tumor-derived
markers, Colox has the ability to detect precursor lesions of colorectal cancer, making it a
promising ally in cancer prevention.”
Brian Hashemi, Executive Chairman of Novigenix SA, said: “The publication of our study in
Clinical Cancer Research provides important validation of the clinical significance of Colox.
As a convenient, and accurate blood test, Colox outperforms other commercially available
CRC blood tests, and has the potential to become truly instrumental in the reduction of
cancer mortality through early detection of advanced polyps and colorectal cancer. At
Novigenix we are committed to reducing cancer mortality, and every day we work with
clinicians and the healthcare community at large to broaden access to Colox in Switzerland
and abroad.”
The publication can be accessed here:
http://clincancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/early/2016/04/28/1078-0432.CCR-15-2057
About colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in Europe and North
America. Current methods of detection of CRC are cumbersome and invasive, requiring
unpleasant preparation of the colon, or stool manipulation at home. As a result the majority of
individuals at average risk resist testing and fail to be referred to potentially therapeutic or
preventative colonoscopy. In Switzerland alone this leads to 1400 people dying per year from
this largely preventable disease.
Sylvain Monnier-Benoit, Ph.D.
Project Leader & Founder
Biopôle IV
Route de la Corniche 3
CH-1066 Epalinges
Switzerland
sylvain.monnier-benoit@colox.ch
www.novigenix.com
Phone +41 21 989 20 00
Fax +41 21 989 20 01
About Colox®
Colox® is a proven molecular blood test that has been designed to support physicians in case
finding of patients with CRC and adenomas for referral to colonoscopy. The test can support
the healthcare community to significantly reduce mortality from colorectal cancer through
early detection and intervention. Colox can be ordered by any physician in routine medical
practice to identify patients with adenomatous polyps and colorectal cancer.
About Novigenix SA:
Novigenix SA is an innovative Swiss molecular diagnostics company focused on the
commercialization of new blood tests for the early detection of cancer. Novigenix’s products
rely on a new generation of predictive molecular signatures and state-of-the-art mathematical
analytical models to provide new solutions for the early detection of cancer. For more
information please visit www.novigenix.com
Contact:
Novigenix SA Capricorn One (media)
Nicolas Demierre Hans Herklots
nicolas.demierre@colox.ch capricorn1@bluewin.ch
+41 79 761 5184 +41 79 598 7149
