C10533: Novel Screen for Hypermethylated Genes as Biomarkers to Diagnose/ Prognose Colorectal Cancer
Value Proposition: ADVANTAGES • Combination of array-design and computational algorithms makes the assay uniquely efficient for colon cancer diagnostics/prognostics for fast results and shorter time to patient treatment. • Technology requires only a small amount of sample colorectal tissue to perform assay to reduce patient discomfort and increase patient compliance. • Analysis of CpG island shores, along with CpG islands, for hypermethylation in DNA from biopsy tissue could increase accuracy for prognosis or diagnosis of cancerous changes in the colon.
Technical Details:
Colorectal cancer impacts 0.2 million people in U.S. and 1.6 million people worldwide. Colon cancer is slow to develop and early detection of colon cancer is key for recovery. The lack of effective screening tests on the market to date represents an urgent medical need for accurate diagnostics and biomarkers. Genetic biomarkers are key for developing new cancer diagnostics. There is increasing evidence for a link between cancer development and hypermethylation of DNA. JHU scientists have developed a novel method to detect DNA methylation (DNAm) in human tissues and a rich panel of DNAm biomarkers for colon cancer. JHU scientists used a genome wide approach to determine for the first time that methylation alterations related to colon cancer are concentrated in areas called CpG island shores.
Looking for Partners:
This technology can be potentially be developed and commercialized as a diagnostic or prognostic assay to screen, predict and monitor colon cancer. It could also be commercialized as a research tool to discover and develop therapeutic agents for colon cancer and other forms of cancer.
Publications:
Irizarry, R. A., et al. "The Human Colon Cancer Methylome shows Similar Hypo- and Hypermethylation at Conserved Tissue-Specific CpG Island Shores." Nature Genetics, vol. 41, no. 2, 2009, pp. 178-186
