Two Ph.D.s from Caris Life Sciences Share New Data in support of a Proprietary Blood-Based Technology demonstrating Promise for Diagnosis, Prognosis and Theranosis of Prostate Cancer and other Complex Diseases
IRVING, TX, January 21, 2011 — Caris Life Sciences, Inc., a leading biosciences company focused on enabling precise and personalized healthcare through the highest-quality anatomic pathology, molecular profiling, and blood-based diagnostic services, today announced that two distinguished Caris researchers, Dr. David Spetzler and Dr. Traci Pawlowski, presented key findings regarding the Company’s circulating microvesicles (cMV) technology at the International Workshop on Exosomes 2011, currently being held in Paris. Application of this technology, called the Carisome™ platform, could facilitate revolutionary developments in blood-based diagnostics, prognostics and therapeutic guidance to aid clinicians and their patients with treatment decisions.
We are honored to have presented two compelling sets of data concerning cMV technology at The International Workshop on Exosomes, which brings together researchers to share cutting-edge research focused on advancing our understanding of exosomes, commented Dr. Christine Kuslich, Senior Vice President of Research and Development. As a subset of circulating microvesicles, which are shed into the blood stream from healthy and diseased cells, exosomes are an important research topic today. The technology we are using, and continuing to develop, analyzes circulating microvesicles, and their subset particles, exosomes, and is poised to create a paradigm shift in the future of diagnostics, prognostics and theranostics for cancer and other complex diseases. Current data show that this technology is providing accurate and reproducible information through analysis of the blood, offering a less-invasive alternative to biopsy and significant potential for earlier detection.
Specific findings from Dr. Spetzler and Dr. Pawlowski include the following:
- Sorting cMVs and their subset, exosomes, by protein expression into specific subpopulations and isolating and interrogating them for miR content can potentially have considerable diagnostic, theranostic, and prognostic implications.
- cMVs, including exosomes, derived from the serum and plasma of prostate cancer patients offers a clinically relevant source of blood-based miR analysis.
Caris leading role in the research and understanding of exosomes is yielding tangible results for patients and clinicians. In late 2010, the Company introduced the first application of Carisome cMV technology to select urology centers. Carisome Prostate cMV 1.0, as this application is known, is a diagnostic blood test that is used to aid in prostate cancer diagnosis for men with elevated PSA. The test is proven to identify men whose biosignatures indicate the presence of prostate cancer using Caris proprietary cMV technology. In a key validation study of 933 retrospective patient samples, Carisome Prostate cMV 1.0 resulted in unparalleled diagnostic accuracy of 85% sensitivity and 86% specificity. A broad commercial roll-out of this groundbreaking test is underway.
About Carisome Circulating Microvesicle (cMV) Technology
Carisome Circulating Microvesicle (cMV) technology is Caris Life Sciences proprietary, next generation, blood-based clinical technology platform. Caris research using this transformative technology is leading to major advances in the understanding of blood-based circulating microvesicles (cMV) and their application to patient care, through more accurate and less invasive diagnosis, prognosis and theranosis of cancer and other complex diseases. The first test launched from this proprietary technology is Carisome Prostate cMV 1.0. This novel blood test aids in prostate cancer diagnosis for men with elevated PSA, and is proven to identify men whose biosignatures indicate the presence of prostate cancer. In a key validation study of 933 retrospective patient samples, Carisome Prostate cMV 1.0 resulted in unparalleled diagnostic accuracy of 85% sensitivity and 86% specificity.
About Caris Life Sciences
Caris Life Sciences, a leading biosciences company, specializes in the development and commercialization of the highest quality anatomic pathology, molecular profiling, and blood-based diagnostic technologies, in the fields of oncology, dermatopathology, hematopathology, gastrointestinal pathology and urologic pathology. The company provides academic-caliber consultations for thousands of patients a day, through its industry-leading team of expert, subspecialty pathologists. Caris also offers advanced molecular analyses of patient samples through prognostic testing services and genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic profiling to assist physicians in their treatment of cancer. Currently, Caris is developing a series of blood tests utilizing the patented Carisome platform — a proprietary, blood-based testing technology for diagnosis, prognosis, and theranosis of cancer and other complex diseases. The company is headquartered in the Dallas metroplex, and operates laboratories at the headquarters, as well as in the Phoenix and Boston metro areas.
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