Definiens and Metamark Enter Multi-Year Deal for Prostate Cancer Prognostic Test
MUNICH, Germany & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Definiens, the global leader in image analysis for digital pathology and diagnostics, and Metamark Genetics, a privately-held biotechnology company developing novel tests aimed at improving cancer care, today announced a multi-year agreement covering use of the Definiens image analysis solution for the ProMark™ prostate cancer prognostic test. ProMark™ is a multiplex immunofluorescence test that integrates Definiens’ core image analysis platform, Cognition Network Technology®, to automatically classify prostate tumor “regions of interest” and quantify novel proteomic markers expressed in prostate biopsies. Metamark recently announced positive ProMark™ clinical validation results, and plans to make the test available to pathologists, urologists and their patients in early 2014. ProMark™ is designed to help physicians make informed treatment recommendations for prostate cancer patients by identifying low risk patients who may benefit from active surveillance rather than aggressive treatment. Definiens’ software platform will be used to support Metamark’s fully automated analysis of clinical prostate cancer biopsies.
“It is a privilege to work with Metamark as they bring their innovative prostate cancer prognostic test, ProMark™, to market. The incorporation of Definiens’ automated image analysis platform into this test highlights the importance of objective image analysis in the prognosis and treatment of cancer,” said Thomas Heydler, CEO of Definiens.
“We have worked well with the Definiens team and are pleased to extend our collaboration as we commercialize ProMark™,” said Shawn Marcell, CEO of Metamark. “Incorporating Definiens software in the analysis platform has allowed us to accelerate development and validation of ProMark™ and generate clinical data that has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of prostate cancer.”
About Definiens
Definiens is the leading provider of image analysis and data mining solutions for life science, tissue diagnostics and clinical digital pathology. Definiens’ technology provides detailed biomarker readouts from slide images and enables the correlation of this information with other key clinical or genomic information. Definiens helps pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, research institutions, clinical service organizations and pathologists generate new knowledge and supports improved decisions in research, diagnostics and therapy.
Definiens’ vision is to open new fields of research, to contribute to development of personalized medicine and to significantly improve the quality of patients’ lives. Definiens is headquartered in Munich, Germany and has its North American headquarters in Carlsbad, CA. Further information is available at www.definiens.com.
About Metamark
Metamark Genetics, Inc. is a privately-held biotechnology company founded in 2007 to develop novel, function-based prognostic and diagnostic tests aimed at improving cancer care. The company’s proprietary genomic and proteomic discovery platforms have yielded significant discoveries in several disease areas including prostate, colon and breast cancers. For more information, please visit the company’s Website at www.metamarkgenetics.com. Metamark™ and ProMark™ are trademarks of Metamark Genetics, Inc.
About Prostate Cancer
One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer making it the leading cancer in the United States. Over 85% of initial diagnoses fall into low or intermediate grade categories (Gleason 3+3 or 3+4) where differentiation between indolent (slow growing, often benign) and aggressive prostate cancer is extremely difficult to assess under current standards of care. The absence of tools to stratify prostate cancer at this stage has led to significant over-treatment. New proteomic tests like ProMark™ offer the potential to identify a significant portion of prostate cancer cases that can be referred for surveillance rather than treatment – improving care, quality of life and reducing overall cost.
Source: Definiens
