They plan to utilize samples from a new prospective collection of over 1,000 patients with ovarian cancer, benign neoplasms and 4000 healthy controls recruited through 10 UK centers.
This work is expected to address multiple clinical questions, including validation of markers, and the discovery of additional biomarkers that distinguish ovarian cancer from other gynecologic masses.
Under the terms of the agreement, Ciphergen will have exclusive rights to license discoveries made during the course of this collaboration.
The principal investigator, Professor Ian Jacobs of UCL and president of the European Society of Gynecological Oncology, is recognized as a world authority on ovarian cancer. He and his team manage the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening, the largest screening trial in the world involving 200,000 women.
“We are very excited to be working with Ciphergen. It is our belief that this technology could lead to breakthrough discoveries in the area of women’s health. Combining Ciphergen’s expertise in translational proteomics with our clinical resources and research expertise is an important step in our efforts to accelerate the development of new diagnostic approaches to ovarian and breast cancer” said Professor Jacobs.