New Clinical Trial Measures Mammastatin to Identify Breast Cancer Risk

A new clinical trial is underway using a blood test to measuring mammastatin, a protein possibly linked to the development of breast cancer in a woman's blood, at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Texas.

The new trial, using the Mammastatis Serum Assay™ technology, will include 200 women from groups with established breast cancer, groups at high statistical risk to develop breast cancer, and groups of healthy women without breast cancer or breast cancer risk.

MSA technology involves a blood test that measures the levels of mammastatin, which in prior studies has been found to be present in relatively high levels in 85 percent of healthy women and low or absent in more than 75 percent of breast cancer patients.

This is the second blinded study of the MSA technology but the first trial to be supervised and reported by a major clinical study group.

"Although we have thorough proof-of-concept for the MSA technology from our initial clinical studies, this trial will demonstrate publicly and conclusively its value in helping physicians identify their patients' breast cancer risk," said Dr. Paul Ervin, CEO of Biotherapies, Inc., the originator of the technology.

The clinical trial should be completed within three months.

Other sources: Genesis Bioventures, Inc.