NuQ biomarker assay shows significant detection rate for prostate cancer- VolitionRx

VolitionRx has announced that a single NuQ biomarker assay detected 71% of early stage I prostate cancer cases at 93% specificity. This is significantly higher than the most common blood test currently used to detect prostate cancer, the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA), which is reported to detect 53% of prostate cancers at 73% specificity. The study was conducted in collaboration with the Surrey Cancer Research Institute at the University of Surrey in the UK.

VolitionRx has performed a retrospective study on blood samples collected from 537 men, including 266 with prostate cancer and 271 age-matched healthy controls. The samples were analysed with a single NuQ biomarker assay, which detected 71% of early stage I prostate cancer cases and 86% of late stage IV prostate cancer at 93% specificity (7% false negatives). The company is aiming for VolitionRx to launch a prostate cancer test for clinical use in Europe in 2017 and start U.S. trials following the commercial launch of the blood test for colorectal cancer towards the end of this year. The results are being presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting.

Comment: The NuQ tests are based on the science of Nucleosomics which is the practice of identifying and measuring nucleosomes in the bloodstream – an indication that cancer is present. VolitionRx's goal is to make the tests as common and simple to use, for both patients and doctors, as existing diabetic and cholesterol blood tests.