1st Jun 2007 07:00
For further information, please contact:
Medical Solutions plc Dr Nick Ash Managing Director Tel: 0115 973 9010 www.medical-solutions.co.uk Bishopsgate Communications Ltd Nick Rome/Sophie Davis Tel: 0207 562 3350 www.bishopsgatecommunications.com1 June 2007 Medical Solutions plc ('Medical Solutions' or the 'Company') EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
Medical Solutions to distribute Genomic Health's Oncotype DXTM breast cancer
test in the UK
The Board of Medical Solutions plc , the diagnostics and healthcare business, announces that it has entered into an exclusive agreement with Genomic Health, Inc. to provide the OncotypeDXTM molecular diagnostic breast cancer test in the UK.
HIGHLIGHTS
* Addition of OncotypeDXTM significantly strengthens Medical Solutions' position as a leading provider of cutting edge diagnostic and prognostic cancer testing in the UK; * The OncotypeDXTM test has been through extensive scientific and clinical validation; and * The exclusive distribution agreement will form an integral part of the Company's portfolio approach to cancer testing.
Medical Solutions has recently launched the Breast Cancer Decision Making Tool, the first of its tailored packages of tests aimed at supporting clinicians and patients in determining the most appropriate treatment to achieve the best possible outcome for the patient. Such tests will play a major role in Medical Solutions' new "portfolio" approach to cancer testing, OncotypeDXTM forming an integral part of the first of these, for breast cancer.
The OncotypeDXTM test is the first clinically validated test to quantify both the likelihood of distant recurrence of breast cancer and the magnitude of adjuvant chemotherapy benefit. OncotypeDXTM is one of a growing number of new diagnostic and prognostic tests that look at gene "signatures", quantifying the expression of several important disease-related genes simultaneously in a single assay.
Dr Nick Ash, Managing Director of Medical Solutions said:
'"We are very excited about this new partnership with Genomic Health, one of the world's leading innovators in the development of cancer diagnostics. Recent news articles about the benefits of hormonal and other therapies in breast cancer in the UK have served to heighten awareness of the possibilities for modern molecular diagnostics. The addition of the OncotypeDXTM test, which has been through extensive scientific and clinical validation, to our portfolio of breast cancer diagnostics will significantly strengthen our position as a leading provider of cutting edge diagnostic and prognostic cancer testing in the UK."
Prof Ian Ellis, Medical Director of Medical Solutions added:
"OncotypeDX¢â€ž¢ is a revolutionary new test designed to provide key information on expected behaviour in the commonest form of breast cancer presentation, hormone receptor-positive, lymph node-negative disease, when treated with hormone therapy alone. This information is important for both clinicians and patients to assist in their decision making on whether further treatment, for example chemotherapy, could be of additional benefit. The test is based on state-of-the-art modern molecular laboratory techniques which have been developed to work on routine formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples and OncotypeDX¢â€ž¢ can therefore be used for all breast cancer patients. I'm delighted to see the addition of this ground-breaking test to our portfolio."
Notes to Editors:
Medical Solutions plc
Medical Solutions is a fully listed UK based diagnostics and healthcare business specialising in the provision of pathology and cytology services and products to the healthcare, pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. It has internationally recognised expertise in histopathology with advanced technology in image analysis, high throughput quantitative protein expression and biomarker determination. For more information about Medical Solutions please visit www.medical-solutions.co.uk.
Genomic Health, Inc.
Genomic Health is a life science company focused on the development and commercialisation of genomic-based clinical laboratory services for cancer that allow physicians and patients to make individualised treatment decisions. In 2004, Genomic Health launched its first test service, OncotypeDxTM, which has been demonstrated to predict the likelihood of chemotherapy benefit in early-stage breast cancer patients. For more information about Genomic Health please visit www.genomichealth.com.
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