The nucleic acid testing technology is used for detecting the presence of a key tissue marker in prostate cancer, methylated GST-Pi. LabCorp is the first full-service, national clinical laboratory in the US to license this new technology.
LabCorp said that when utilized in combination with conventional histopathology testing, an assay quantifying the level of methylated GST-Pi may provide a more sensitive and accurate detection of prostate cancer than histology alone.
The assay LabCorp plans to offer is anticipated to be useful for biopsies with suspicious histopathology, and for patients who have elevated prostate specific antigen values with biopsy findings that are repeatedly negative.
Myla Lai-Goldman, executive vice president, chief scientific officer and medical director for LabCorp, said: “A quantitative PCR assay specific for methylated GST-Pi will be a valuable diagnostic tool to help clinicians resolve difficult-to-diagnose prostate cases and reduce the anxiety many patients experience when the status of their condition is uncertain.”
The terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.