GeneNews Provides Centocor Access to its Osteoarthritis Program
TORONTO, CANADA (December 11, 2008):
GeneNews Limited (TSX: GEN), a company focused on developing blood-based biomarker tests for the early detection of diseases and personalized health management, today announced that it has entered into a agreement allowing Centocor Research & Development, Inc. selected access to research from its osteoarthritis genomic biomarker program. Additional terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“The Sentinel Principle™, our proprietary platform technology for the discovery of blood-based biomarkers, was validated around osteoarthritis, a debilitating joint disease,” said Dr. Heiner Dreismann, Lead Director and Interim CEO of GeneNews. “This agreement is a positive reflection of the quality of our research and technology and a source of non-dilutive funding that will contribute to our commercialization efforts.”
About GeneNews
GeneNews is an emerging molecular diagnostics company focused on the application of functional genomics to enable early diagnosis and personalized health management based on disease-specific biomarkers. The Company has a patented core platform technology, the Sentinel Principle®, which has the power to detect and stage virtually any disease or medical condition from a simple blood sample. GeneNews is currently applying the Sentinel Principle® in major areas with unmet clinical needs such as cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular disease and neurological disorders. GeneNews launched its first commercial product, ColonSentry™, a blood-based test to pre-screen and assess an individual's risk for colorectal cancer, in Canada in 2008. The company's first US marketing partner, Enzo Clinical Labs, is expected to launch the ColonSentry™ test in New York and New Jersey in the second half of 2010. For more information on GeneNews and ColonSentry™, visit www.genenews.com or www.ColonSentry.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could differ materially from those projected herein. Investors should consult the Company's ongoing quarterly filings and annual reports for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to these forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
