Company to Present New Data on its Ovarian Cancer Diagnostics Program at
the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists' 39th Annual Meeting On Women's
Cancer
FREMONT, Calif., Feb. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vermillion, Inc.
(Nasdaq: VRML), a high-value molecular diagnostics company, has received
the Society for Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO) Basic Science Poster Award
for its abstract, "Prospective independent validation of a marker panel for
distinguishing benign from malignant pelvic masses." The abstract, which
demonstrated that the Company's Ovarian Tumor Triage Test correctly
identified 84 percent of ovarian cancer cases compared to only 33 percent
identified using standard diagnosis methods without the test, was presented
at the SGO's 38th Annual Meeting on Women's Cancer last year in San Diego.
In addition to receiving the award, Vermillion will present posters
from three studies highlighting progress in the Company's ovarian cancer
diagnostic program at this year's annual SGO meeting being held March 9-12
at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. Data will highlight
Vermillion's Ovarian Tumor Triage Test, as well as focus on the use of
protein biomarkers to potentially improve detection of early-stage disease.
"We are honored to receive this prestigious award from the SGO, which
reflects the rigor and quality of the scientific programs conducted by
Vermillion and its collaborators," said Eric T. Fung, M.D., Ph.D., Chief
Scientific Officer of Vermillion. "We look forward to presenting data at
this year's SGO meeting that will further confirm the benefits of our
ovarian cancer diagnostic assays as we prepare to bring our first test --
the Ovarian Tumor Triage Test -- to patients and their physicians to help
make critical treatment decisions."
The following poster presentations will take place on Sunday, March 9 -
Tuesday, March 11, from [10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. ET]:
-- Proteomic Markers Increase CA-125 Sensitivity for Early Detection of
Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Collaborators: University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
-- Validation of a Marker Panel for Distinguishing between Benign and
Malignant Pelvic Masses
Collaborators: The Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen; Rigshospitalet,
University of Copenhagen; Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore
-- Calgranulin A and B are Cyst Fluid Biomarkers of Ovarian Cancer
Collaborators: University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center,
Lexington
Additionally, Vermillion will be recognized for its winning poster at
an awards ceremony on March 10 at the Tampa Convention Center. The Company
will also have booth presence (#426) at the SGO meeting.
About Vermillion's Ovarian Cancer Diagnostic Program
Vermillion has multiple ovarian cancer diagnostic tests in development.
The most advanced of Vermillion's programs is the Ovarian Tumor Triage
Test, which utilizes a panel of biomarkers to help identify women with
cancer so they can be referred directly to a gynecologic oncologist for
their initial surgery, thus improving survival rates and potentially
reducing the number of second surgeries performed. Vermilion intends to
submit clinical trial data on the Ovarian Tumor Triage Test to the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration for clearance as an in vitro diagnostic test
in the coming months.
Additionally, studies are underway to detect early-stage ovarian
cancer, predict prognosis and recurrence, and identify women considered at
high-risk for the disease.
Vermillion's comprehensive diagnostic development program is being
conducted with several leading collaborators at The Johns Hopkins School of
Medicine, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center,
Rigshospitalet (Copenhagen), and the University of Kentucky.
About Ovarian Cancer
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), approximately 22,430
new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed this year, and 15,280 deaths
will be reported as a result of the disease. When diagnosed at its earliest
stages, ovarian cancer has a 5-year survival rate of 93 percent. However,
only 19 percent of ovarian cancers are diagnosed before the tumor has
spread outside the ovary. For late-stage disease, the 5-year survival rate
falls to 18 percent.
New diagnostic tests are needed to stratify patients with a pelvic mass
into high risk of invasive ovarian cancer versus those with low risk, as
well as a screening test for the diagnosis of early-stage ovarian cancer,
which is essential for improving overall survival in patients. Ovarian
cancer has up to a 90 percent cure rate following surgery and/or
chemotherapy if detected in stage 1.
About Vermillion
Vermillion, Inc. is dedicated to the discovery, development and
commercialization of novel high-value diagnostic tests that help physicians
diagnose, treat and improve outcomes for patients. Vermillion, along with
its prestigious scientific collaborators, has ongoing diagnostic programs
in oncology, hematology, cardiology and women's health with an initial
focus in ovarian cancer. Vermillion is based in Fremont, California.
Additional information about Vermillion can be found on the Web at
http://www.vermillion.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve
significant risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding
Vermillion's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions. These
forward-looking statements are based on Vermillion's current expectations.
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe
harbor" for such forward-looking statements. In order to comply with the
terms of the safe harbor, Vermillion notes that a variety of factors could
cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the
anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such forward-looking
statements. Factors that could cause actual results to materially differ
include but are not limited to: (1) uncertainty in obtaining intellectual
property protection for inventions made by Vermillion; (2) unproven ability
of Vermillion to discover, develop, and commercialize diagnostic products
based on findings from its disease association studies; (3) unproven
ability of Vermillion to discover or identify new protein biomarkers and
use such information to develop ovarian cancer diagnostic products; (4)
uncertainty as to whether Vermillion will be able to obtain any required
regulatory approval of its diagnostic products; (5) uncertainty of market
acceptance of its products, including the risk that its products will not
be competitive with products offered by other companies, or that users will
not be entitled to receive adequate reimbursement for its products from
third party payors such as private insurance companies and government
insurance plans; and (6) other factors that might be described from time to
time in Vermillion's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and
Vermillion expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release
publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any
change in Vermillion's expectations or any change in events, conditions or
circumstances on which any such statement is based, unless required by law.
SOURCE Vermillion, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.vermillion.com
CONTACT:
investors, Sue Carruthers of Vermillion,
Inc., +1-510-505-2233; or media, Daryl Messinger of WeissComm
Partners, +1-415-946-1062, for Vermillion, Inc.
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