Mesothelioma lawyer assistance for financial recovery

Mesothelioma test 'a breakthrough'

By Katherine Danks
19 April 2005 - AUSTRALIAN researchers have developed a world-first blood test which could help in the early detection of mesothelioma, a deadly asbestos-related cancer of the lung lining.

About 700 people every year are diagnosed with the disease in Australia, which has the highest reported incidence in the world.

It can take up to 30 years for symptoms of the condition to develop so most sufferers are identified at an advanced stage and die within a year.

The non-invasive blood test developed by University of Western Australia Professor Bruce Robinson and a team of researchers is a breakthrough in the early detection of mesothelioma.

Under existing arrangements, diagnosis is a long process which includes blood tests, chest x-rays, CT scans, drainage and laboratory analysis of the pleural fluid to help differentiate mesothelioma from other similar conditions.

The new blood test, named MESOMARK, was originally developed for cervical cancer at the Pacific Northwest Research Institute in the US, but Professor Robinson has adapted it for testing mesothelioma.

Dr Nick Pavlakis, a leading mesothelioma researcher in Sydney, said the blood test would be a valuable diagnostic aid for doctors.

"The test is a breakthrough because it's a simple blood test, it could therefore be applied to patients who are at risk, those who have a history of exposure or symptoms of the disease," he said.

The blood test measures the amount of protein in the blood, and a patient who returned a low reading would register a negative result.

But if the patient returned a high reading they would be sent for a second test to confirm the result.

Former painting contractor Erl Carlsson, who has mesothelioma, said the test would be valuable in monitoring the health of his family.

Mr Carlsson, 59, who lives in Narrabeen, on Sydney's northern beaches, was diagnosed with the disease in October last year after 30 years of sanding back asbestos fibro in his work as a painter.

He is now concerned for the health of his wife Barbara, who washed his clothes with asbestos dust on them, and children Andrew, 31, and Jenny, 32, who often worked with him when they were younger.

"It would really help the treatment, it's usually 20 or 30 years before you find out you have it ... it could have helped me too," Mr Carlsson said.

Dr Pavlakis said the amount of people diagnosed with the disease was expected to peak between 2010 and 2020 when the symptoms had fully developed.

"What we are seeing today is a product of exposure decades ago, so even though the legislation changed to reduce occupational exposure to asbestos fibres we have a decade lag time between the exposure and the disease," he said.

Symptoms for mesothelioma include breathlessness and chest pain.

Treatment, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, aims to prolong life and keep the person as comfortable as possible.

Fujirebio Diagnostics Expands Commercial Availability of First Blood Test for Mesothelioma; Announces Distribution Agreement with Cisbio international to Bring MESOMARK to Europe

4/14/2005 - Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc. (FDI), a world-leader in oncology testing, and Cisbio international, a French biotechnology company, today announced a distribution agreement for European distribution of FDI's new blood test for mesothelioma - MESOMARK(TM). This agreement, the second for FDI, continues the worldwide commercial rollout of MESOMARK. Earlier this year, FDI launched MESOMARK in Australia where the company signed a contract with an Australian-based distributor.

"We are pleased to join with Cisbio international to introduce MESOMARK in Europe," said Paul Touhey, president and COO for Fujirebio Diagnostics. "This agreement, combined with our recent announcement in Australia, further demonstrates FDI's commitment to bring new, innovative and noninvasive diagnostic technologies to the world."

"The inclusion of a highly innovative cancer diagnostic like MESOMARK into our portfolio helps us maintain our leadership position in tumor markers in Europe," commented Berthold Baldus, managing director of Cisbio international. "We are proud of this important partnership with Fujirebio Diagnostics."

Mesothelioma is a highly aggressive form of cancer in which fluid accumulates between the lining of the lungs and chest cavity. It is primarily caused by work-related asbestos exposure and has an average latency period of up to 75 years. Over 100 million people worldwide have been occupationally exposed to asbestos in the past five decades. It is estimated that 10,000 new cases are diagnosed each year among industrialized countries, and recent epidemiological studies predict an increase in this number in the next few decades. Up until now, there have been no reliable serum tumor markers for mesothelioma, which means that diagnosis, screening and monitoring responses to treatment have been difficult. In addition, mesothelioma is notoriously resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and is rarely cured by radical surgery.

MESOMARK, a manual enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for managing mesothelioma, works by identifying a group of molecular markers called soluble mesothelin-related proteins (SMRP). These proteins are released into the bloodstream by mesothelioma cells. Because SMRPs can be elevated for several years before an actual diagnosis of mesothelioma can be made, MESOMARK will help in the routine monitoring of asbestos exposed individuals who are at greatest risk for developing mesothelioma.

About Cisbio international

Cisbio international develops, manufactures and markets diagnostic assays for the quantification of tumor markers and other biomarkers in clinical biology. In addition, Cisbio international is an established developer of technologies that are used in assay development and drug screening procedures to enhance drug discovery. The company produces a selection of biological reagents and methods used by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as contract research organizations (CROs). Cisbio international is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Schering S.A.

About FDI

Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc. (FDI) is a premier diagnostics company and the industry leader in tumor marker assays. FDI specializes in the clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization of in-vitro diagnostic products for the management of human disease states, with an emphasis in oncology. In November 1998, Fujirebio, Inc. of Tokyo, Japan, acquired the company, formerly known as Centocor Diagnostics. FDI utilizes its worldwide distribution network to enable access by physicians and patients to its diagnostic products. For more information about FDI, please call 610-240-3800 or visit www.fdi.com.

CONTACT:

Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc. (FDI) For North America: Dudnyk Public Relations Gary J. Gatyas, Jr., 267-532-1244 or For Europe: Ballou PR Colette Ballou Lamotte, +33 (0)1 42 22 24 10