Sensitive, non-invasive diagnostic assay for detecting prostate cancer

This technology is a non-invasive urine test based on the detection of RAD9 methylation that is sensitive and accurate in detecting aggressive prostate and related cancers.

Unmet Need: Accurate, non-invasive methods to detect aggressive prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in men. It is currently screened either by a rectal examination or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, which measures the amount of PSA in the blood. However, rectal examinations are highly invasive, and the PSA test has low sensitivity and accuracy for particularly aggressive forms of the disease. There is a need for a more sensitive, noninvasive assay to diagnose and stage aggressive forms of prostate cancer.

The Technology: Sensitive and efficient diagnostic test for detection of prostate cancer

This assay is a noninvasive diagnostic and prognostic urine test for prostate cancer that measures levels of DNA methylation in the RAD9 gene. High RAD9 methylation and subsequent overexpression have been shown to drive prostate cancer progression. This assay can detect differences in methylation levels 10.1-fold between cancer cells and normal prostate cells. This urine test may be a more sensitive diagnostic test for aggressive prostate cancers and could also complement serum PSA blood tests to further increase the accuracy of prostate cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

This assay has been validated using human cancer and normal cell lines.

Applications:

• Non-invasive diagnostic assay for prostate, bladder, and kidney cancers
• Prognostic tool for prostate and related cancers
• Research tool for the identification of prostate and bladder cancer biomarkers
• Research tool for understanding prostate and bladder cancer tumorigenesis

Advantages:

• Sensitive diagnostic and prognostic test for prostate and related cancers
• High accuracy for detecting particularly aggressive prostate cancers
• Noninvasive method for prostate cancer screening
• Complementary test to existing serum assays for cancer diagnostics
• Can be administered at the point of care to improve accessibility

Lead Inventor:

Howard Lieberman, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Pending(WO/2023/196874)

Related Publications:

• Zhu A, Hopkins KM, Friedman RA, Bernstock JD, Broustas CG, Lieberman HB. “DNMT1 and DNMT3B regulate tumorigenicity of human prostate cancer cells by controlling RAD9 expression through targeted methylation.” Carcinogenesis. 2021 Feb 25; 42(2):220-231.

Tech Ventures Reference:

• IR CU22152

• Licensing Contact: Kristin Neuman