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Epigenomics and academic partners receive grant to develop novel techniques for early cancer detection based on DNA-methylation
28 Apr 2004 -
Epigenomics AG announced the receipt of BMBF (German Ministry for Education and Research) funding for a three-year project to design and develop new techniques for high-throughput early cancer screening based on DNA methylation, a natural "switch" that controls gene expression.
The BMBF, through its BioChance Plus programme, will contribute EUR1.1 million of the estimated EUR2.7 million project total. The project will be conducted in collaboration with the teams of Prof. Albert Jeltsch, International University of Bremen (IUB) and Prof. Jörn Walter, a co-founder of Epigenomics and now at the Universität des Saarlandes, two leading academic groups involved in the DNA methylation field. The award was presented yesterday by Secretary of State Christoph Matschie to Kurt Berlin, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Epigenomics, during the opening of the BMBF Biotechnology Days 2004 that are currently held in Jena, Germany.
"This exciting collaboration, with two of the leading academic groups in the field, is targeted towards 2nd generation products based on DNA methyation," noted Dr. Berlin. "This research will further add to the competitive advantages offered by our DNA methylation based technologies such as stability of DNA as the analyte, high sensitivity and reproducibility, and the ability to analyse paraffin embedded samples. We would like to thank the BMBF for providing funds to advance the rapidly developing field of epigenetics."
Starting in May 2004, the project aims to develop new methods for early detection of cancer that will complement and further expand Epigenomics' pipeline of methylation based products for diagnostic and phamacodiagnostic applications. DNA methylation is a naturally occurring mechanism in cells to regulate gene activity. If genes are methylated incorrectly, disease may occur which may be reflected in a different methylation pattern when compared to the normally functioning cell. These patterns can be detected and interpreted, thereby allowing screening, staging and therapy monitoring tools to be developed. Using its proprietary HeavyMethyl technology, Epigenomics selectively amplifies aberrant DNA methylation patterns, i.e. markers of tumor presence, in body fluids, thus potentially enabling early diagnosis of cancer without the need to take biopsies.
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