Exiqon A/S
Exiqon launches two new Research Use Only kits for PCR analysis of colon cancer samples.

DGAP-News: Exiqon A/S

18.12.2014 / 15:51

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Copenhagen, 2014-12-18 15:51 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Exiqon A/S today launched
the miRSIGN(TM) miR-21 Oncogene assay, a Research Use Only kit for measuring
miR-21 levels in relation to two reference microRNAs in formalin-fixed,
paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples, and the miRSIGN(TM) Colon Cancer assay, a
Research Use Only kit for determining the presence of cancer cells in FFPE
colon tissue samples. 

Recently published peer reviewed papers, Hansen et al. 2014, British J Can, and
Nielsen et al 2011, Clin Exp Metast, have demonstrated that miR-21 in
combination with traditional biomarkers may assist in the identification of
stage II colon cancer patients at high risk of recurrence. Today the majority
of patients with stage II colon cancer are generally offered surgery but do not
routinely receive adjuvant treatment. However, the disease recurs within two
years for approximately 25% of the patients, and the ability to objectively
identify these patients at the time of surgery may prove an important first
step towards improving treatment. 

In the aforementioned study,  Hansen et al. 2014, of a cohort of 554 stage II
colon cancer patients, the miRSIGN(TM) miR-21 Oncogene assay (RUO) was used to
test miR-21 as an independent prognostic biomarker for recurrence free cancer
specific survival. This study demonstrated that high miR-21 expression levels
are associated with an unfavourable recurrence free cancer specific survival,
and suggested that including miR-21 in a risk index for stage II colon cancer
patients may help to objectively identify a considerably smaller group of
patients at high risk of recurrence (23% of the patients at high risk) than the
traditional risk parameters (77% of the patients). Whether patients with
elevated miR-21 expression may benefit from adjuvant therapy depends on
separate clinical studies. 

Both the miRSIGN(TM) miR-21 Oncogene Assay (RUO) and the miRSIGN (TM) Colon Cancer
assay (RUO) are based on the company's proprietary miRCURY LNA(TM) Universal RT
microRNA PCR platform, which was recently reviewed in a study published in
Nature Methods, Pieter Mestdagh et al., comparing the performance of 12
commercially available platforms for microRNA profiling in key areas:
http://www.exiqon.com/mirqc 

Additional information
Lars Kongsbak, President and CEO, tel. +45 4566 0888 (cell: +45 4090 2101)

About Exiqon
Exiqon operates in two business areas: Exiqon Life Sciences is a leading
provider of flexible solutions for RNA analysis used by academia, biotech and
pharmaceutical companies around the world to make groundbreaking discoveries
about the correlation between gene activity and the development of cancer and
other diseases. Exiqon Diagnostics develops novel molecular diagnostic tests
for early detection of cancer and treatment selection for patients based on
gene activity analysis, using the tools developed by Exiqon Life Sciences.
Exiqon is listed on the NASDAQ in Copenhagen. For more information about us,
please visit www.exiqon.com
News Source: NASDAQ OMX



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18.12.2014 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
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Language:    English       
Company:     Exiqon A/S    
 
 
             Denmark       
ISIN:        DK0060077758  
 
 
End of News    DGAP News-Service  
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