NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Vermillion said today that it has formed a steering committee for a Pelvic Mass Registry it is developing with $7.5 million in funding from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).
The company aims to enroll 3,000 women in the registry which it plans to use for research and development of diagnostics and other tests for the early detection, differential diagnosis, and treatment of pelvic masses. Through analysis of these patients, it hopes to identify analytes including proteins and nucleic acids as well as measures based on imaging and clinical factors that can be used for detection and management of gynecologic diseases.
"By sifting patient data and clinical samples for innovative diagnostic patterns, we hope to re-engineer the methods physicians use to sort and treat these conditions, Judith Wolf, Vermillion's chief medical officer and registry co-primary investigator, said in a statement.
The registry steering committee will advise Vermillion on scientific and clinical strategies and oversee study design and publication. Its members include experts on ovarian cancer, endometriosis, and public health policy.
The CPRIT grant is subject to completion of a contract between Vermillion and the institute and may include terms such as payment of future product royalties to CPRIT by Vermillion.