NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Nuclea Biotechnologies will partner with the Stratton VA Medical Center and Albany Research Institute to study genes and proteins that could be used in developing personalized prostate cancer tests, the Pittsfield, Mass.-based company said today.
The partners will work together to analyze samples from patients who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, or a precancerous benign condition, searching for genes in protein characteristics that could be used in diagnostic or prognostic tests.
"This collaboration will result in a very unique clinical trial where we will be evaluating how fatty acid synthase (FAS) works to diagnose and predict prostate cancer in very specific populations, such as veterans," Nuclea President and CEO Patrick Muraca said in a statement.
"As the population of Vietnam-era veterans continues to age, they will become increasingly at-risk for prostate cancer," Muraca added. "We are very hopeful that FAS will allow earlier, more accurate diagnosis of patients with this disease, as well as better treatment."
Nuclea said it uses its biorepository of over 150,000 clinical specimens to develop its FAS-based diagnostic tests.
The company also said it has filed for pre-market guidance with the FDA for its prostate cancer monitoring test that shows that FAS levels are predictive of metastatic risk.
Nuclea has three business lines including Nuclea Diagnostic Laboratories, which has developed tests for several cancer types; Nuclea Biomarkers, which performs research into molecular oncology therapeutics and diagnostics; and Nuclea Biotherapeutics.