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Collagen Type X determined to be a protein specifically associated
with tumor vasculature
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Antibodies to detect the protein planned to be one component of PanC-DxTM,
a blood-based screen for multiple types of solid tumors
ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 16, 2012--
BioTime, Inc. (NYSE MKT: BTX) and BioTime’s subsidiary OncoCyte
Corporation today announced the publication of a scientific report on
the gene COL10A1 and its potential as a marker for numerous types
of human cancers. The paper, published in the peer-reviewed journal Future
Oncology and available online
today, describes the microarray-based approach used to identify COL10A1
as a pan-cancer biomarker with significantly elevated expression in
diverse malignant tumor types including cancers of the breast, stomach,
colon, lung, bladder, pancreas, and ovaries. In addition, the protein
was shown to be specifically localized within tumor vasculature.
Combined, these findings will be an important basis for the development
and application of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, including
the measurement of Collagen Type X in the blood as a screen for the
presence of cancer, the use of antibodies that recognize and bind to the
protein to visualize and locate tumors in the body, and the targeted
delivery of tumor-destroying agents.
“These findings are significant on several levels,” said Karen Chapman,
PhD, Director of Bioinformatics at OncoCyte and lead author of the
report. “COL10A1, the gene that encodes Collagen Type X, is
normally only expressed in a specific zone within developing bones and
is generally not expressed in most adult cells and tissues. This low
background expression, taken together with the significant expression
that we observed in many tumor types, underscores the potential use of
this biomarker as a novel diagnostic and therapeutic target for many
cancer types.”
“As a result of the studies described in today’s publication, OncoCyte
has generated five proprietary monoclonal antibodies to Collage Type X
for use in developing novel cancer diagnostics, imaging agents and
targeted therapeutics,” said Joseph Wagner, PhD, CEO of OncoCyte and
co-author of the study. “Given the broad expression of this protein
across numerous tumor types and its association with tumor vasculature,
characterization of this marker in cancer patients’ blood samples has
become a priority at OncoCyte. Upon validation of their performance in
detecting cancers from patient samples, these antibodies are candidates
for inclusion in PanC-DxTM, a low-cost, easy-to-use
product with broad cancer detection ability slated for launch in 2014.”
PanC-DxTM is being developed to detect the presence of
a variety of human cancers, including cancers of the breast, lung,
bladder, uterus, stomach, and colon, during routine check-ups. By
facilitating early non-invasive cancer detection through a blood test, PanC-DxTM
could lead to more successful therapeutic outcomes while simultaneously
reducing the costs of cancer monitoring and globally increasing the
availability of affordable cancer screening. OncoCyte first announced
the development of PanC-DxTM during December 2011 and
intends to launch the product in Europe in 2014 before seeking the
required approval by the Food and Drug Administration to market PanC-DxTM
in the United States.
About BioTime, Inc.
BioTime, headquartered in Alameda, California, is a biotechnology
company focused on regenerative medicine and blood plasma volume
expanders. Its broad platform of stem cell technologies is enhanced
through subsidiaries focused on specific fields of application. BioTime
develops and markets research products in the field of stem cells and
regenerative medicine, including a wide array of proprietary ACTCellerate™
cell lines, HyStem® hydrogels, culture media, and
differentiation kits. BioTime is developing Renevia™ (formerly
known as HyStem®-Rx), a biocompatible,
implantable hyaluronan and collagen-based matrix for cell delivery in
human clinical applications. BioTime's therapeutic product development
strategy is pursued through subsidiaries that focus on specific organ
systems and related diseases for which there is a high unmet medical
need. BioTime's majority owned subsidiary Cell Cure Neurosciences Ltd.
is developing therapeutic products derived from stem cells for the
treatment of retinal and neural degenerative diseases. BioTime's
subsidiary OrthoCyte Corporation is developing therapeutic applications
of stem cells to treat orthopedic diseases and injuries. Another
subsidiary, OncoCyte Corporation, focuses on the diagnostic and
therapeutic applications of stem cell technology in cancer, including
the diagnostic product PanC-Dx™ currently being developed for the
detection of cancer in blood samples. ReCyte Therapeutics, Inc. is
developing applications of BioTime's proprietary induced pluripotent
stem cell technology to reverse the developmental aging of human cells
to treat cardiovascular and blood cell diseases. BioTime's subsidiary,
LifeMap Sciences, Inc., markets GeneCards®, the
leading human gene database, and is developing an integrated database
suite to complement GeneCards® that will also include
the LifeMap™ database of embryonic development, stem cell
research and regenerative medicine, and MalaCards, the human
disease database. LifeMap will also market BioTime research products.
BioTime's lead product, Hextend®, is a blood plasma volume
expander manufactured and distributed in the U.S. by Hospira, Inc. and
in South Korea by CJ CheilJedang Corporation under exclusive licensing
agreements. Additional information about BioTime can be found on the web
at www.biotimeinc.com.
About OncoCyte Corporation
OncoCyte Corporation is a majority-owned subsidiary of BioTime, Inc.
OncoCyte's mission is to develop novel products for the diagnosis and
treatment of cancer in order to improve both the quality and length of
life of cancer patients. OncoCyte's molecular diagnostics division is
developing products for earlier detection of a variety of cancers. In
addition to its diagnostic product line, OncoCyte is developing cellular
therapies to treat cancer based on the unique biology of vascular
precursor cells. The goal of OncoCyte's therapeutic research efforts is
to derive vascular cells that can be engineered to deliver a toxic
payload to the developing blood vessels of a malignant tumor to destroy
the tumor without killing nearby normal tissues in the body. Additional
information on OncoCyte can be found on the web at www.oncocyte.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements pertaining to future financial and/or operating results,
future growth in research, technology, clinical development, and
potential opportunities for BioTime and its subsidiaries, along with
other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans,
or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking
statements. Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but
not limited to statements that contain words such as "will," "believes,"
"plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates") should also be
considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements
involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks
inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential
products, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials or regulatory
approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, and maintenance of
intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from
the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and as such
should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the
business of BioTime and its subsidiaries, particularly those mentioned
in the cautionary statements found in BioTime's Securities and Exchange
Commission filings. BioTime disclaims any intent or obligation to update
these forward-looking statements.
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Source: BioTime, Inc.
BioTime, Inc.
Peter Garcia, 510-521-3390 ext. 367
Chief
Financial Officer
pgarcia@biotimemail.com
or
Judith
Segall, 510-521-3390 ext. 301
jsegall@biotimemail.com
