Genomic Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GHDX) today announced the first results of a large prostate cancer study that identified 295 genes strongly associated with clinical recurrence following radical prostatectomy. Top-line findings from this study, which applied the same RT-PCR technology used in Genomic Health's Oncotype DX® breast and colon cancer tests, will be presented today at the Society for Urologic Oncology (SUO) annual meeting. The Company and its research partners from Cleveland Clinic plan to present complete data at the ASCO Genitourinary Cancer Symposium in February 2011.
"We have reached an important milestone in our clinical development of a test for prostate cancer by narrowing down specific genes and pathways that predict prostate cancer aggressiveness," said Steven Shak, chief medical officer at Genomic Health. "Developing a test that can address a critical dilemma in today's standard of care will require well-designed clinical studies with reproducible evidence and the ability to work with very small amounts of biopsy tissue. These study results give us confidence to move forward with full clinical development, and we are evaluating the opportunity to accelerate these efforts with our scientific advisors."