Diagnostic pathology firm to offer breakthrough prostate cancer assay to urology market

THUNDER BAY, ON, Jan. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - Mitomics, a developer of mitochondrial DNA-based tests for early disease detection, today announced it has entered into a sales and marketing agreement for the Prostate Core Mitomic Test^™ (PCMT™) with Sterling Pathology National Laboratories. Under the agreement, Sterling Pathology National Laboratories, a leader in diagnostic pathology services, will make PCMT available through their team of sales representatives to urologists throughout the United States, on a non-exclusive basis. PCMT is one of the most accurate and safest tests currently on the market for the detection of prostate cancer.

"With their strong network of laboratories and sales professionals, Sterling Pathology National Laboratories is an ideal partner to offer PCMT to the urology market," said Robert Poulter, President and CEO of Mitomics. "There is a great need for a prostate cancer detection assay such as PCMT, which provides an extremely precise and painless way for urologists to eliminate false-negative biopsy results and detect the disease at the earliest possible stage."

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in males and the second-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Every year, more than 230,000 American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer, and more than 30,000 die from the disease. It is estimated that well over 1 million prostate biopsies are performed annually in the U.S. in efforts to diagnose prostate cancer. Although approximately 70 percent of all initial prostate biopsies are negative, it has been found that anywhere from 25 to 60 percent of these are false negatives, and found to be positive on second or subsequent biopsy. Prostate biopsies are painful and carry the risk of serious infection. According to Johns Hopkins University, 7 percent of patients who undergo prostate biopsies suffer complications requiring hospital care within 30 days of the procedure.

For patients whose initial prostate-biopsy results come back negative, PCMT can often prevent the need for multiple biopsies by eliminating false-negative results. Using tissue samples from the existing biopsy, PCMT employs mitochondrial-DNA analysis to accurately detect the biomarker associated with prostate cancer as found in benign tissue. Even if a biopsy needle misses a tumour, PCMT can still detect the presence of cancer. The information from PCMT can assist in the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer.

"With its ability to greatly reduce false-negative results on prostate biopsies, the Prostate Core Mitomic Test is an important step forward in the detection of prostate cancer," said Michael Okuniewski, Vice President, Sterling Pathology National Laboratories. "By partnering with Mitomics to offer PCMT, Sterling Pathology National Laboratories furthers its commitment to deliver the very best diagnostic tools to urologists and their patients."

About the Prostate Core Mitomic Test^™ (PCMT)
Conducted in Mitomics' CLIA-certified lab, PCMT uses existing prostate-biopsy material to detect mitochondrial-DNA alterations (called "deletions") that appear in benign tissue when a tumor is present in adjacent tissue. These molecular alterations, known as the cancerization field effect, enhance tumor detection in instances where biopsy cores appear histologically benign because they have failed to intersect tumor tissue. Initial prostate biopsies can miss 25 to 60 percent of all cancers, leading to false-negative results. PCMT provides the clinician with insights far surpassing conventional screening methods. The concurrent high sensitivity of 85% and negative predictive value of 92% contribute unprecedented strength to this assay through its ability to identify prostate cancer. For more information or to order PCMT, please visit http://www.mitomicsinc.com/prostate-core-mitomic-test/.

About Mitomics Inc.
Mitomics Inc. provides clinical solutions that deliver the earliest possible detection of disease through mitochondrial DNA-based testing. Using proprietary technology, called Mitomic Technology™, the company has developed a platform on which it is developing an array of molecular tests that address significant needs in oncology. The company's flagship product, the Prostate Core Mitomic Test™ (PCMT™), was launched in 2011, and is one of the most accurate and safest tests currently on the market for prostate cancer detection. PCMT is a simple test, conducted in Mitomics' CLIA-certified lab, using existing biopsy tissue to identify the biomarker associated with malignant cells in benign tissue. Mitomics is currently using its platform of mtDNA testing to develop similar tests for the detection of breast cancer, bladder cancer, thyroid cancer, melanoma, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, uterine cancer, and endometriosis. Mitomics is headquartered in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. www.mitomicsinc.com.

About Sterling Pathology National Laboratories
Sterling Pathology National Laboratories is dedicated to providing the best diagnostic pathology services to meet the needs of MD clinics and ambulatory surgical centers, for medical specialists and specialty surgeons. Sterling Pathology National Laboratories' goal is to provide the best in quality, service and value to its client physicians and their patients. The laboratories are operated by Sterling Pathology Medical Corporation, an organization by experienced pathologists, dedicated to the best practice of diagnostic consultation to specialist MDs for their outpatients. Sterling Pathology National Laboratories' pathologists are superbly qualified practitioners, backed up by exemplary support staff.

SOURCE Mitomics Inc.