ALAMEDA, Calif., Dec. 01, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OncoCyte Corporation (NYSE American:OCX), a developer of novel, non-invasive liquid biopsy tests for the early detection of cancer, will present data from its most recent breast cancer diagnostic study during a poster session at the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) on December 7, 2017. The SABCS will take place at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, from December 5-9, 2017.
The data to be presented are from the Company’s NICE-BC (Non-Invasive Confirmatory dEtection (of) Breast Cancer follow-on study. The data confirm the findings from OncoCyte’s previous breast cancer study, which were presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) in December 2016. In the earlier study, the 15-marker model resulted in an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.92 with a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 76%. Given this level of accuracy, and subject to successful completion of further R&D and clinical studies, OncoCyte’s novel panel of serum protein biomarkers may become the foundation of a highly accurate, non-invasive breast cancer diagnostic test.
The AUC of a test is a measure that combines sensitivity and specificity to express its total accuracy, with 1.0 being perfect accuracy and 0.50 being a random result. Sensitivity and specificity are statistical measures of test performance, with sensitivity measuring the percentage of malignant lumps or masses that are identified correctly by the test and specificity measuring the percentage of benign lumps or masses correctly identified.
“We look forward to reporting data from our breast cancer diagnostic development program at this prestigious conference,” said William Annett, President and Chief Executive Officer. “The data from our breast cancer studies are compelling and we look forward to continuing to advance the development program in 2018. We believe our test would address a significant unmet need by reducing the number of unnecessary invasive breast biopsies and lowering the financial burden to the healthcare system.”
The data from the NICE-BC study will be presented at SABCS 2017 by Philip McQuary, Ph.D., Director, Product Development, at OncoCyte.
| Abstract Title: Assessment of an immune response panel of serum protein biomarkers for the non-invasive detection of breast cancer | ||||
| Poster Session: 2 (P2-02-03) | ||||
| Session Title: Detection/Diagnosis: Circulating Markers | ||||
| Session Date: December 7, 2017 | ||||
| Session Time: 7:00 am CT – 9:00 am CT | ||||
The current standard of care for breast cancer diagnosis – annual or biannual mammogram screenings – does not meet the needs of large populations of women for whom mammography alone is not sufficient. These populations include women with dense breast tissue, genetic mutations (BRCA), a family history of breast cancer, or those who have suspicious mammogram screening results (BIRADs 3 or 4). The Company’s non-invasive liquid biopsy breast cancer diagnostic is intended to be a confirmatory, post-mammogram test that would address the needs of some of these populations, thereby reducing the number of patients subjected to invasive procedures.
According to published reports, there are about 39 million mammograms performed annually in the U.S., resulting in 1.6 million breast biopsies per year. Of these, only 260,000 (16%) result in a cancer diagnosis. The large number of suspicious findings in diagnostic mammograms leads to a significant amount of unnecessary invasive follow-up procedures. The financial burden to the healthcare system imposed by the follow-up testing of false-positive mammograms and breast cancer over-diagnosis is estimated to be $4 billion a year.
About Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among US women. Current screening guidelines set forth by the American Cancer Society recommend screening mammography for the early detection of breast cancer in women at average risk. Specifically, guidelines call for annual mammography for asymptomatic women age 45 to 54 and once every two years for women age 55 and older. Suspicious screening mammograms are generally followed up with a diagnostic mammogram and sometimes by an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Image) or an ultrasound. Ultimately, suspicious findings unresolved by imaging typically result in the recommendation of a breast biopsy.
About OncoCyte Corporation
OncoCyte is focused on the development and commercialization of novel, non-invasive blood and urine (“liquid biopsy”) diagnostic tests for the early detection of cancer to improve health outcomes through earlier diagnoses, to reduce the cost of care through the avoidance of more costly diagnostic procedures, including invasive biopsy and cystoscopic procedures, and to improve the quality of life for cancer patients. While current biopsy tests use invasive surgical procedures to provide tissue samples in order to determine if a tumor is benign or malignant, OncoCyte is developing a next generation of diagnostic tests that will be based on liquid biopsies using blood or urine samples. OncoCyte’s pipeline products are intended to be confirmatory diagnostics for detecting lung, breast and bladder cancer. OncoCyte’s diagnostic tests are being developed using proprietary sets of genetic and protein markers that differentially express in specific types of cancer.
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” and similar expressions) are forward-looking statements. These statements include those pertaining to the implementation and results of research, development, clinical trials and studies, commercialization plans, future financial and/or operating results, and future opportunities for OncoCyte, along with other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential diagnostic tests or products, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials or regulatory approvals, the capacity of our third-party supplied blood sample analytic system to provide consistent and precise analytic results on a commercial scale, the need and ability to obtain future capital, and maintenance of intellectual property rights, and the need to obtain third party reimbursement for patients’ use of any diagnostic tests we commercialize. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and accordingly as such statements should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the business of OncoCyte, particularly those mentioned in the “Risk Factors” and other cautionary statements found in OncoCyte’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings. OncoCyte disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
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