Pacific Edge Unites with Partners to Launch Online Community for Bladder Cancer Patients

DUNEDIN, New Zealand and HERSHEY, Pa., May 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cancer diagnostics company, Pacific Edge Limited (NZX:PEB), announced today the Company is working with Melon Health and a group of U.S. and Asia-Pacific companies to launch an online patient community to support people and their families living with bladder cancer.  The website, www.bladdercancer.me, is unique in the way it empowers patients to self-manage their journey.

The bladdercancer.me website provides the resources and community often seen on other cancer community sites, but also offers tools for symptom tracking and reminders.  Just as technological advancements are changing the way bladder cancer is detected and monitored, the bladdercancer.me site seeks to change the way patients monitor and manage their own treatment and health.  The patient-oriented community and tools on the website are beneficial not only for patients, but also for their physicians.

Dave Darling, Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Edge, stated, "We are proud to continually offer bladder cancer patients worldwide a means to detect, monitor, and manage their condition. We aim to be leaders in using technology to reduce the burdens of bladder cancer on patients, not only through our Cxbladder diagnostic products, but also by providing an environment for them to connect with patients from similar backgrounds, learn about and rate urologists, and get the support they need to live healthier lives."

Siobhan Bulfin, Chief Executive Officer of Melon Health, added, "The rising use of the internet in healthcare is nothing new with "Dr. Google" providing a fount of information. But the ability to connect virtually with other people going through the same thing is something that has only come about in recent years as patients and medical researchers begin to see how empowering social networking can be."

Watch a video here introducing BladderCancer.me.

About Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the US, with over 75,000 new cases diagnosed in the US annually. Bladder cancer is three times more common in men than women, and 1 in 42 people will be diagnosed with bladder cancer in their lifetime.  The major causes of bladder cancer are thought to be tobacco smoking and exposure to occupational chemicals in the rubber, organic dye, metal refining, petrochemical and paint industries.

Common symptoms of bladder cancer include burning urine, frequent urination and hematuria (the presence of an abnormally high number of red blood cells in the urine). Hematuria can be macroscopic (visible in the urine) or microscopic (detectable only with dipstick testing or microscopy).

Bladder cancer is treatable if detected early, but it has one of the highest recurrence rates of all cancers and requires regular monitoring.

About Cxbladder
Cxbladder is an effective, non-invasive, urine based diagnostic technology, developed by Pacific Edge that can be used to detect and monitor bladder cancer. With two tests in market and two others on the way, Cxbladder significantly outperforms the traditional cytology and FISH tests and is a step change in how bladder cancer is detected and monitored.

About Pacific Edge Limited
Pacific Edge Limited (NZX: PEB) is a New Zealand publicly listed, cancer diagnostic company specializing in the discovery and commercialization of diagnostic and prognostic tests for better detection and management of cancer. The company is developing and commercializing its range of Cxbladder bladder cancer tests globally through its wholly owned central laboratories in New Zealand and the USA. The company's products have been tested and validated in international multicenter clinical studies. Pacific Edge has three proprietary, novel, accurate, molecular diagnostic products in-market providing actionable results, and better detection and management of urothelial cancer. Cxbladder Detect is available through the company's dedicated CLIA certified laboratories for customers in New Zealand, Australia and the USA. Cxbladder Triage is available in New Zealand and Australia. Cxbladder Monitor launched in New Zealand in December 2015 and is anticipated being available in the US in 2016.

For more information, please contact
Edison Strategic Advisors
Tirth Patel (investors)
[email protected] 
646-653-7035

Ellis & Co.
Jackie Ellis (media)
[email protected] 
+64 9 360 8500

SOURCE Pacific Edge Limited

Related Links

http://www.bladdercancer.me