Phoenix, AZ.—Beacon Biomedical Inc., a medical diagnostic development company and CLIA laboratory based in Phoenix Arizona, today announced the launch of BeScreened™-CRC, a blood-based laboratory developed test (LDT) for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening that is 95% accurate at detecting CRC in adults ages 50-75 years of age with an overall 91% sensitivity and 86% specificity for CRC stages I-IV. Preliminary study findings also indicate a greater than 60% sensitivity for detecting precancerous polyps (advanced adenomas).
Don Weber, CEO of Beacon Biomedical Inc
“Colorectal cancer is one of the most curable diseases with a 90% survivability rate when detected in its earlier stages. Yet, in the U.S. alone there are still more than 50,000 men and women dying each year from this devastating disease,” said Don Weber, CEO of Beacon Biomedical Inc. “The data tells us that almost 65% of these deaths are directly attributable to the 30-35 million men and women who are CRC screening-eligible but simply don’t get screened. When asked why, they say it’s because they find the current fecal-based testing and colonoscopy procedures unacceptable or simply inconvenient. We developed BeScreened™-CRC to specifically address this screening non-compliance problem. It’s what patients, physicians and payers have been asking for, and in our minds BeScreened™-CRC is going to be a real game changer.”
Beacon’s mission is to save more lives by helping improve patient CRC screening and detecting colorectal cancer earlier. As a blood-based test priced under $160, BeScreened™-CRC accomplishes these objectives. In doing so, Beacon is also looking to help reduce the staggering downstream healthcare costs associated with later stage cancer treatment and care.
BeScreened™-CRC is an ELISA-based multiplex, screening test of three blood-based tumor-associated protein biomarkers; an oncoprotein called teratocarcinoma derived growth factor-1 (TDGF-1, Cripto-1); carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a well-established biomarker associated with CRC; and an extracellular matrix protein involved in early stage tumor stroma changes. Quantitative assay results are processed through Beacon’s proprietary relational algorithm and evaluated against the algorithm’s healthy patient-state status criteria. Patients that fall within the acceptance criteria are reported as negative for the likely presence of CRC with a recommendation to stay compliant with their healthcare well-checks and screening. Patients calculated as outliers to that same criteria are reported as positive with an elevated-risk of CRC’s presence with a recommendation to follow-up with their physician to schedule a screening colonoscopy.
About Beacon Biomedical Inc.
Beacon Biomedical Inc is a molecular proteomic diagnostics company focused on developing and commercializing both CLIA laboratory and point-of-care CLIA waived tests for earlier cancer detection. The company’s lead product, BeScreened™-CRC, is a blood-based test for the early detection of colorectal cancer. Beacon’s product development pipeline includes early detection assays for breast, lung, prostate and ovarian cancers. For more information visit, www.beaconbiomedical.com