Better Classification of Prostate Cancer Tissue Biopsy Samples Enabled by Pressure BioSciences' PCT Platform

SOUTH EASTON, Mass., June 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Pressure BioSciences, Inc. (OTCQB: PBIO) ("PBI" and the "Company"), a leader in the development and sale of broadly enabling, pressure cycling technology ("PCT")-based sample preparation solutions to the worldwide life sciences industry, today announced that Tiannan Guo, MD Ph.D. of the Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, presented data on an improved method for the proteomic profiling and classification of prostate cancer tissue biopsy samples at the recent annual conference of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry.

Dr. Guo and colleagues combined the Company's enhanced Barocycler NEP2320 instrument and MicroPestle consumable ("PCT-HD") with AB Sciex's SWATH-MS mass spectrometric system (together, "PCT-SWATH") to permit what they characterize as the high throughput, reproducible, quantitative profiling of proteins in biopsy tissues.  The authors concluded that PCT-SWATH (i) separated previously histologically-indistinguishable tissue biopsy samples, and (ii) identified new protein biomarker candidates for more precise classification of prostate cancer. The authors indicated their results await further validation in independent studies.  

Dr. Nate Lawrence, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for PBI, said: "Patients with prostate cancer are generally classified into three groups based on histological results: low-grade, intermediate-grade, and high-grade.  Patients in the intermediate-grade group most often have mixed clinical outcomes. Consequently, prostate cancer patients in this group need to be better profiled and differentiated.  This should enable more precise classification, which should then lead to better prognosis and treatment. Unfortunately, the authors believe that better classification is not achievable with established diagnostic procedures."

Dr. Lawrence continued: "Using PCT-SWATH, the investigators obtained a level of reproducibility and quantitative accuracy comparable to SRM, the "gold standard" quantitative mass spectrometric method. However, unlike SRM, which often results in the maximal quantification of a few hundred proteins per sample, PCT-SWATH resulted in the quantification of thousands of proteins, with unprecedented speed and precision, thus offering the potential for better classification of prostate cancer patients."

Mr. Richard T. Schumacher, President and CEO of PBI, stated: "According to the American Cancer Society ("ACS"), prostate cancer is the second most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. In 2015, the ACS estimates there will be approximately 220,800 new cases of prostate cancer, with about 27,540 deaths. Current statistics indicate that about one man in thirty-eight will die of prostate cancer.  Consequently, laboratory tools that can better diagnose and correctly classify the grade of prostate cancer are vitally needed.  We are pleased that one of the top Key Opinion Leader laboratories in the world has adopted PCT as a routine method for mass spectrometry sample preparation.  We are further pleased that they believe PCT-SWATH offers the potential for wide applications in personalized medicine and that this method may ultimately achieve adoption in the clinical laboratory setting."

About PCT-HD and PCT-SWATH

The PCT-HD System combines two of the Company's unique products: the recently released, patent-pending MicroPestle consumable with an enhanced Barocycler NEP2320 instrument.  This combination enables faster, less cumbersome and higher quality homogenization, extraction, and digestion of proteins.  PCT-HD was developed by the Company's scientists and engineers in collaboration with Professor Ruedi Aebersold and Dr. Tiannan Guo of the Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zurich, and the University of Zurich, both in Zurich, Switzerland.  Drs. Aebersold and Guo have recently combined PCT-HD with AB Sciex's SWATH-Mass Spectrometry – calling the resulting method "PCT-SWATH".

About Pressure BioSciences, Inc.

Pressure BioSciences, Inc. ("PBI") (OTCQB: PBIO) develops, markets, and sells proprietary laboratory instrumentation and associated consumables to the estimated $6 billion life sciences sample preparation market. Our products are based on the unique properties of both constant (i.e., static) and alternating (i.e., pressure cycling technology, or PCT) hydrostatic pressure. PCT is a patented enabling technology platform that uses alternating cycles of hydrostatic pressure between ambient and ultra-high levels to safely and reproducibly control bio-molecular interactions. To date, we have installed over 250 PCT systems in approximately 160 sites worldwide. There are over 100 publications citing the advantages of the PCT platform over competitive methods, many from key opinion leaders. Our primary application development and sales efforts are in the biomarker discovery and forensics areas. Customers also use our products in other areas, such as drug discovery & design, bio-therapeutics characterization, soil & plant biology, vaccine development, histology, and forensic applications.      

Forward Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release regarding PBI's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, or predictions of the future are "forward-looking'' statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the Company's current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, and other factors include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, and other reports filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the information included in this release, except as otherwise required by law.

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SOURCE Pressure BioSciences, Inc.

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