In 2006, we initiated a cancer screening test development program for the early detection of lung cancer. We believe that non-invasive or minimally invasive screening tests for lung cancer with high sensitivity and specificity that can be applied to large populations in a convenient, safe, and cost effective way are needed urgently. Today, diagnosis mostly relies on diagnostic imaging procedures such as x-rays, Computer Tomography (CT) or Positron Emission Tomography (PET) followed in some cases by invasive bronchoscopy for definitive diagnosis. As these procedures are not suitable for screening, they are used once a patient reports symptoms that could be indicative of lung cancer. But symptoms occur late and the majority of lung cancer cases are diagnosed in stages too advanced for effective treatment.

In a first study in 2006 we identified numerous candidate biomarkers specific for lung cancer. In a clinical study completed in June 2007, we demonstrated that one of these candidate biomarkers discriminates non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from controls with non-cancerous lung diseases with a sensitivity of 69% at a specificity of 91% when measured in blood plasma. This proprietary biomarker will now be used as the lead biomarker in our lung cancer screening test development program. We are now working on optimizing the biomarker panel for this test and will run further clinical studies in 2008.

This products is not available for sale in the United States. The analytical and performance characteristics of any product to be eventually sold in the U.S. based on this technology have not been established.