Avantogen cancer gene test partnership progressing

A partnership initiated in 2003 between Avantogen (ASX:ACU) (formerly Australian Cancer Technology) and Prof Ursula Kees at Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research is closer to developing a diagnostic test to enable more effective treatment of cancer.

While a commercial test is still a few years away, said Kees, the test has been shown to work in principle.

Using PCR-based techniques, the test rapidly screens tumour samples for deleted tumour suppressor genes.

"We have studied the literature in order to find out which tumour suppressor genes play a role in adult cancer. There are many of them that are of prognostic significance, and they include cancer genes that play a role in lung, breast cancer, and renal cancer," said Kees.

The test was originally developed using tumour suppressor gene p16, following research by Kees which showed that children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia have an 11-fold higher rate of relapse if the p16 gene is lost.

In order to develop the test further, researchers at the Institute looked at particular tumour suppressor genes that play a role in kidney cancer.

While Kees would not reveal the specific tumour suppressor genes, she said they are located on chromosome 3.

The diagnostic test being developed uses patented technology that can clearly detect whether the tumour has two copies of a gene, only one copy or none at all, said Kees.

Depending on the type of tumour, the presence or absence of a particular gene can be correlated with a good response to therapy, enabling chemotherapy to be individually tailored to the patient from the outset of treatment.

"This is where pathology and diagnostic procedures are going to go, so that we are not treating all patients with a particular type of cancer the same way," said Kees.

Kees said that the test is currently being "road tested".

"We have investigated kidney cancer now, and we are going to apply this and extend this study to much larger patient specimens," she said.

Kees noted that because the diagnostic test uses PCR, it can be performed on equipment available in most laboratories.

Dr Leonard Firestone, CEO and managing director of Avantogen, said in a statement that his company is currently considering the most appropriate commercial model to bring the test to market.

"We are delighted to partner with Avantogen because this is the avenue that leads towards a test that can be used in the clinic," said Kees.