Exiqon A/S
Exiqon licenses validated biomarkers for prostate cancer from Aarhus University Hospital.

Exiqon A/S 

03.12.2014 14:36

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Copenhagen, 2014-12-03 14:36 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Exiqon A/S today announced
that the company has exclusively licensed prostate cancer biomarkers discovered
and validated by Aarhus University Hospital, Department of Molecular Medicine
(MOMA). 

The prostate cancer biomarkers in-licensed consist of gene specific methylation
patterns which are associated with the aggressiveness of prostate cancer. The
prognostic potential of the epigenetic biomarkers has been validated in two
independent European cohorts with 293 and 114 patients, respectively, with a
follow-up of 10 years after diagnosis and Radical Prostatectomy in malignant
cases. The prostate cancer biomarkers have also demonstrated diagnostic
potential in the discrimination of localized prostate cancer from benign tumors
with sensitivities of up to 93% at a fixed specificity of 97%. 

'MOMA has for a considerable number of years worked intensively on the
identification of molecular biomarkers in several different cancers including
prostate cancer', says Professor and MD Torben Ørntoft and continues 'We rarely
come across biomarkers with such a promising potential as we have seen for
these prostate cancer biomarkers which hold promise that better tests may be
developed than what is available today'. 

More than 50% of the male population above the age of 50 years is affected by
prostate cancer, and only a fraction of these have aggressive prostate cancer
that requires treatment. Indolent prostate cancer is a slowly developing
disease, which means that many patients may die with the disease, not from the
disease. Differentiating aggressive prostate cancer that requires treatment
from indolent prostate cancer represents a large unmet need. 

Current procedures for the identification of individuals with prostate cancer
largely depend on the blood based prostate specific antigen (PSA) test,
however, this test results in up to 70% false positives. A positive PSA test is
followed up with trans-rectal biopsy which results in up to 30% false
negatives, and prognosis is problematic because many tumors are also
incorrectly staged. Nevertheless, clinical staging forms the basis for deciding
whether to perform Radical Prostatectomy; an operation with considerable
consequences for the life quality of patients. 

'This is a great opportunity for Exiqon. We cut several years off our current
diagnostic programs for prostate cancer by gaining access to these validated
biomarkers because prostate cancer develops slowly and the assessment of
biomarker prognostic value requires follow up for 10 years or more' says CEO
Lars Kongsbak. 

Exiqon and MOMA work together to develop a test that can help improve the
treatment of prostate cancer patients. Together Exiqon and MOMA have several
ongoing diagnostic collaborations including a recent grant of DKK 23 million
from the Advanced Technology Foundation (now Innovation Foundation). This grant
finances the identification and validation of biomarkers including miRNA in
urine for diagnosis of prostate cancer as well as prognostic biomarkers for
identification of aggressive cancer, and may benefit from the addition of the
prostate cancer biomarkers now licensed by Exiqon. 

Additional information
Lars Kongsbak, President and CEO, tel. +45 4566 0888 (cell: +45 4090 2101)
Hans Henrik Chrois Christensen, CFO, phone +45 4566 0888 (cell: +45 4090 2131)

About Exiqon
Exiqon operates in two business areas: Exiqon Life Sciences, a leading provider
of flexible solutions for RNA analysis. Exiqon's research products are 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 collaborates with
pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies to develop novel molecular diagnostic
tests for early detection of diseases which can help physicians make treatment
decisions based on 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



03.12.2014 The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
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Language:     English
Company:      Exiqon A/S
              
               
              Denmark
Phone:        
Fax:          
E-mail:       
Internet:     
ISIN:         DK0060077758
WKN:          
 
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