New patents and publicity for Pacific Edge

New patents and publicity for Pacific Edge

By Pam Graham

March 18 (BusinessDesk) - Pacific Edge, the Dunedin-based developer of technology to detect cancer, says it has new patents and its technology will soon feature in a medical journal.

A patent filed in Japan as part of its technology targeted to detect stomach cancer has been granted, the NZX-listed company said in a statement.

The same technology has previously been patented in New Zealand, Australia, China and Europe.

Mexico has also granted a patent to Pacific Edge for technology in the development of one of the company’s future products Cxbladder Predict.

The patents increase the company's intellectual property, its key asset, chief executive David Darling says.

A science paper describing the clinical performance of its bladder cancer test Cxbladder Triage has also been accepted by the medical journal BioMed Central, which will showcase the technology to an international audience.

Publication is expected later this month.

Cxbladder Triage is due to be released in the US this year after its launch in New Zealand.

It's a non-invasive laboratory test, which allows clinicians to segregate patients who have presented with blood in the urine, an early indicator of possible bladder cancer, who have a low probability of having urothelial carcinoma.

The identification of these patients saves money because expensive tests are not needed. The publication of the paper in BMC will help the company reach both clinicians and executives in healthcare organisations.

The company says laboratory through-put of its products is tracking to expectations following an active direct sales and marketing programme to clinicians and healthcare organisations. Pacific Edge Diagnostics US has 12 sales executives.

Shares in the company last traded at 68 cents, and have declined 20 percent so far this year.

(BusinessDesk)

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