Rosetta Genomics and Collaborators Unveil Colon Cancer Screening Diagnostic.

Rosetta Genomics Ltd. (Rehovot, Israel) and collaborators, unveiled initial data relating to the company's colorectal cancer screening diagnostics test, miRscreen colon, which is based on a simple blood draw, and is expected to be released next year. The company's scientists and collaborators have identified microRNA biomarkers in serum, which have the potential to accurately differentiate colorectal cancer patients from healthy individuals.

"The initial data presented by Rosetta is very significant" said Aaron Ciechanover, Nobel laureate and chairman of Rosetta's scientific advisory board. "Rosetta's scientists and their collaborators, have for the first time, identified in serum, potential microRNA biomarkers of colorectal cancer. If treated early, 90% of colon cancer patients survive. The humane, medical, and financial impact of an effective, non-invasive colon cancer screening test can not be overstated."

Over 90 million Americans are at risk for colon cancer, a disease that kills 50,000 Americans every year.

The company, together with collaborators, has shown that two microRNA biomarkers, obtained from a simple blood draw, identified colon cancer patients from healthy individuals with 91% sensitivity and 72% specificity.

"Rosetta's underlying serum-microRNA platform is extremely sensitive, and has demonstrated detection sensitivity on the order of a single molecule, single nucleotide specificity, and up to 700 fold test-to-control increase of certain serum microRNA biomarkers." said Dr. Ayelet Chajut, EVP R&D Molecular Biology at Rosetta and the primary investigator of the study. "We expect our test will serve as an initial screening tool, that will encourage patients to undergo colonoscopy."

Last year, Rosetta made commercially available three microRNA-based cancer diagnostic tests that leverage microRNA's ...