The current go-to method for diagnosing EAC is an upper endoscopy, which is an uncomfortable, invasive test that costs more than US$2750 in the United States. Although 6.1 million upper endoscopies are done every year, a staggering 90 per cent of EAC cases still slip through the cracks.
PromarkerEso has been able to sidestep the huge costs and discomfort of upper endoscopies by using four protein biomarkers. A proprietary algorithm marries the biomarker results with clinical factors such as a patient’s age, sex and body mass index to deliver a simple “traffic light” risk score, classifying individuals as low, moderate or high risk of developing EAC.
Esophageal adenocarcinoma is the seventh most frequent form of cancer and carries some of the highest mortality rates, due to modern Western diets and lifestyle factors. As such, the market potential for PromarkerEso as a diagnostic tool is enormous.
Moving forward, Proteomics is set to roll out PromarkerEso in Australia and has other territories marked to follow shortly. The test is also patent-protected across Europe and China and more jurisdictions are pending.
The company will launch the test through the same direct-to-consumer channel it is using for sales of its other Promarker tests, along with targeting sales through GPs and primary care providers.
With throat cancer still claiming far too many lives through late detection, PromarkerEso’s breakthrough could mark a turning point in global cancer care.
By offering a quick, accurate and non-invasive blood test that rivals or even improves traditional diagnostic methods, Proteomics International is opening the door to earlier treatment and better survival rates while gearing up for an assault on the multibillion-dollar diagnostics market.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au
