NAMUR, Belgium, Nov. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- VolitionRx Limited (NYSE MKT: VNRX), a life sciences company focused on developing blood tests for a broad range of cancer types and other conditions, today announced the grant of U.S. Patent Number 9187780 entitled "Method for Detecting Nucleosome Adducts."
The new U.S. patent, issued today and expiring in December 2032, relates to VolitionRx's Nucleosomics® platform for the detection of changes in fragments of chromosomes, called nucleosomes. Scientists at VolitionRx have discovered that cancer-related proteins that form bonds with chromosomes in living cancer cells can also be detected and measured bound to nucleosomes circulating in the blood of cancer patients. The newly issued patent covers the methods for measuring these nucleosome-protein complexes, known as "adducts."
Dr. Jake Micallef, Chief Scientific Officer of VolitionRx, remarked, "This is a core technology patent for VolitionRx that we believe has an enormous potential application for non-invasive blood testing in cancer -- including the measurement of Estrogen Receptor Adducts and Androgen Receptor Adducts, which should be pivotal for the detection breast and prostate cancer disease respectively. The award of this second U.S. patent for the detection of proteins bound to nucleosomes, follows the recent award of our first U.S. patent covering measurement of cancerous changes to the nucleosomes themselves. The new patent is a further milestone in VolitionRx's progress to build up a world-wide portfolio of intellectual property to protect its Nucleosomics® technology. We continue towards our goal of bringing accurate and affordable detection of early-stage cancer in simple blood tests to market and helping as many patients as possible."
Cameron Reynolds, Chief Executive Officer of VolitionRx, added, "With the grant of a second patent in the U.S., VolitionRx is making progress toward commercializing our proprietary Nucleosomics® platform. The company is developing a world-wide portfolio of broad-reaching, wholly-owned and royalty-free patents to help protect the company's intellectual property estate and shareholder value. The VolitionRx-owned patent portfolio currently extends to eight patent families of issued and pending patents in market territories worldwide. Our scientific team is continuing to expand our patent portfolio and we expect further U.S. and other patent grants moving forward. I would also like to congratulate our Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Micallef, who authored this patent, for his tireless work and vision during the past 6 years -- work that is now coming to fruition."
About VolitionRx
VolitionRx is a life sciences company focused on developing blood-based diagnostic tests for different types of cancer. The tests are based on the science of Nucleosomics which is the practice of identifying and measuring nucleosomes in the bloodstream -- an indication that cancer is present.
VolitionRx's goal is to make the tests as common and simple to use, for both patients and doctors, as existing diabetic and cholesterol blood tests. VolitionRx's research and development activities are currently centred in Belgium as the company focuses on bringing its diagnostic products to market first in Europe, then in the U.S. and ultimately, worldwide.
Visit VolitionRx's website (www.volitionrx.com) or connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or YouTube.
Media Contacts
Anita Heward, VolitionRx
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Telephone: +44 (0) 7756 034243
Kirsten Thomas, The Ruth Group
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Telephone: +1 (646) 536-7014
Investor Contacts
Scott Powell, VolitionRx
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Telephone: +1 (646) 650-1351
Lee Roth, The Ruth Group
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Telephone: +1 (646) 536-7012
Safe Harbor Statement
Statements in this press release may be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that concern matters that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking statements. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "aims," "targets," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "optimizing," "potential," "goal," "suggests," "could," "would," "should," "will" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements relate to the effectiveness of the Company's bodily-fluid-based diagnostic tests as well as the Company's ability to develop and successfully commercialize such test platforms for early detection of cancer. The Company's actual results may differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements due to numerous risks and uncertainties. For instance, if we fail to develop and commercialize diagnostic products, we may be unable to execute our plan of operations. Other risks and uncertainties include the Company's failure to obtain necessary regulatory clearances or approvals to distribute and market future products in the clinical IVD market; a failure by the marketplace to accept the products in the Company's development pipeline or any other diagnostic products the Company might develop; the Company will face fierce competition and the Company's intended products may become obsolete due to the highly competitive nature of the diagnostics market and its rapid technological change; and other risks identified in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other documents that the Company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and, except as required by law, the Company does not undertake an obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.
Nucleosomics®, NuQ® and HyperGenomics® and their respective logos are trademarks and/or service marks of VolitionRx Limited and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, service marks and trade names referred to in this press release are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE VolitionRx Ltd
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