A collaboration between Transgenomic and the University of Nebraska Medical Center researchers have won a $100,000 Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) grant from NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, to fund early clinical trials evaluating a blood or urine-based genetic test for pancreatic cancer.

The assay is based on Transgenomic’s Ice-Cold-PCR technology for identifying key mutations in pancreatic cancer. The firm says if the Phase I studies are successful a Phase II STTR application will be submitted for funds to carry out further evaluation of the test in detecting DNA mutations associated with early- and late-stage pancreatic cancer. The ultimate aim is to develop a simple diagnostic assay for early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Transgenomic offers products and services for automated high-sensitivity genetic variation and mutation analysis, including discovery and laboratory testing services in the fields of pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine. The firm operates three complementary business divisions. Transgenomic Pharmacogenomic Services is a contract research laboratory that specializes in supporting preclinical and clinical trials for oncology drug candidates. Transgenomic Clinical Laboratories specializes in molecular diagnostics for cardiology, neurology, mitochondrial disorders, and oncology. The Transgenomic Diagnostic Tools division provides instrumentation, reagents, and other consumables for clinical and research applications in molecular testing and cytogenetics.

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