Biomoda granted 'notice of allowance' for U.S. patent protection for additional IP

Apr 18 2008

Biomoda, Inc., a development stage medical diagnostics company, announced it has been granted a notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its invention directed to the "Method for Prognosing Response to Cancer Therapy with 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis (Carboxyphenyl) Porphine."

Biomoda's innovative, non-invasive technology is designed for early lung cancer screening of large populations at a reasonable cost. With the technology, clinicians can identify cancerous or aberrant cells extracted from samples of lung sputum; cancerous cells glow red under fluorescent light and can be detected under a microscope.

Current diagnostic methods for lung cancer, including CT scans and X-rays, often detect the disease at more advanced stages. Biomoda's technology compliments these tools by screening for signs of lung cancer at an earlier stage, ensuring that patients receive advanced tests at the appropriate time.

"We are pleased to receive this new patent protection for additional intellectual property developed by the Biomoda team of research scientists," said John Cousins, Biomoda president. "Our way is now cleared for actively expanding our patent portfolio and collaborating with international partners interested in the development and use of non-invasive early-stage cancer detection technology."

Biomoda previously received U.S. patent 6,838,248 for an invention directed to "Compositions and Methods for Detecting Pre-Cancerous Conditions in Cell and Tissue Samples Using 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis (Carboxyphenyl) Porphine."

Earlier this year, Biomoda and the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology announced their partnership with the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services to conduct a $350,000 clinical study using Biomoda's proprietary testing technology for detection of early lung cancer in the state's veterans. The New Mexico state legislature recently allocated an additional $1.3 million in funding through the Interim Tobacco Settlement Committee to the clinical screening program.

Lung cancer claims more lives than any other cancer. The expected five-year survival rate for all patients diagnosed with lung cancer is 15 percent; the five-year survival rate for cases detected when the disease is still localized is 50 percent. Presently, only 16 percent of lung cancer cases are diagnosed at this early stage.

Biomoda's technology was originally developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory.