Panacea says CC Detect is a simple blood test that should facilitate the identification of individuals with cancer of the colon and rectum when used in conjunction with standard screening methods.
CC Detect measures levels of human aspartyl (asparaginyl) beta-hydroxylase (HAAH), a cancer molecular marker, in blood. HAAH has been detected by immunohistochemical staining (IHC) in a broad range of cancers including colon cancer. In addition, HAAH protein levels in serum have been demonstrated to be highly sensitive and specific for cancer in hundreds of patients with a range of cancer types, including colon cancer.
Increased levels of HAAH have been found in the serum of 99% of individuals with colorectal cancer, according to the company. In individuals not known to have cancer, HAAH was essentially undetectable in serum. HAAH was elevated in serum from individuals with all stages of colorectal cancer; mean serum HAAH levels for stages I-IV were 33, 29, 24 and 34ng/ml, respectively.
Pamela Jo Harris, vice president, medical and clinical affairs at Panacea, said: “CC Detect provides information to differentiate individuals who have colorectal cancer from those who do not have cancer; it should be performed in individuals at increased and high risk as per the ACS recommendations for their particular risk factors.”