MabCure announces agreement with Europe's medical centers to explore diagnostic test for ovarian cancer

Oct 20 2010

Biotechnology company MabCure, Inc. (OTCBB: MBCI) today announced that it has signed a collaboration agreement with Catholic University, K.U. Leuven and University Hospital, UZ Leuven, Belgium, together comprising one of the largest and most reputable medical centers in Europe.

The agreement reflects the parties' continued interest in exploring the utility of MabCure's diagnostic test for ovarian cancer and will assist MabCure in advancing its clinical program. This collaboration follows MabCure's joint study with Professor Ignace Vergote, a world renowned authority on ovarian cancer, which provided a proof of concept for the ability of MabCure's antibodies to distinguish between ovarian cancer and benign tumors.

In that study, several of MabCure's ovarian cancer monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were tested against 54 different blood samples comprised of 17 patients with ovarian cancer, 5 patients with benign tumors of the ovaries, 24 healthy young females and 8 males. Each of the company's proprietary MAbs successfully identified ovarian cancer in blood with 94 percent accuracy (i.e. correctly identifying 16 of 17 patients as having ovarian cancer) and with no false positives or cross-reactions with benign ovarian tumors or healthy blood.

The new collaboration is aimed at expanding MabCure's diagnostic database in order to pave the way to multi-center clinical studies in Europe and the United States.

Professor Ignace Vergote serves as Chairman of the Multidiciplinary Department of Gynecologic Oncology, University Hospital Leuven, Belgium and Professor of Gynecologic Oncology, Catholic University Leuven, Belgium. From 1997 to 2003 Professor Vergote served as the Chairman of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), Gynecologic Cancer Group, and is currently the Chairman of the Protocol committee of that group.

Dr. Amnon Gonenne, CEO of MabCure, noted: "we are privileged to form such an important alliance with Professor Vergote and the University Hospital, UZ Leuven. Professor Vergote's vast knowledge and reputation in the field of gynecological cancers will be invaluable in assisting MabCure during our clinical trials of ovarian cancer and ultimately in reaching a broad network of medical centers in Europe and the U.S."