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KDx Diagnostics Issued Patents for Keratin 17 Biomarker in Bladder Cancer
KDx Diagnostics Inc., a diagnostic laboratory in the field of non-invasive bladder cancer tests, has announced the issuance of significant patents in the US, EU, and South Korea. These patents are a result of their collaborative efforts in developing novel tests to assist in the management of bladder cancer. The granted patents encompass technologies that revolve around the analysis of Keratin 17 in urine, which enables the detection of bladder cancer.
URO17® bladder cancer test, created by KDx, has been shown to be accurate in early clinical studies. A clinical study in 112 patients using the URO17® bladder cancer test, found the test to accurately detect all of the 39 patients with bladder cancer with relatively high specificity. The test measures the patented biomarker Keratin 17 (K17) in urine samples. Today bladder cancer is typically diagnosed through urine cytology, which has low sensitivity, or cystoscopy, a somewhat painful invasive procedure. KDx intends to expand its product line with tests based on the same biomarker for various platforms and sample types, potentially extending its diagnostic solutions to other types of cancer. URO17® is currently available as a Laboratory Developed Test for research use in the United States.
According to Kenneth R. Shroyer, MD, PhD, a co-inventor of the patents and The Marvin Kuschner Professor and Chair, Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook Cancer Center, “As predicted by our research, Keratin 17 is an important marker for the detection of bladder cancer in patients. We believe that the application of Keratin 17 in clinics will provide significant benefits to patients by providing a more accurate assessment of bladder cancer patients.”