OPKO Health Announces Launch Of 4Kscore™ In Europe

OPKO Health, Inc. (NYSE: OPK) today announced strategic partner, International Health Technology (IHT) headquartered in Cambridge, UK, launched the OPKO 4Kscore™ in Europe as part of IHT’s ProstateCheck™ program being offered as an early detection service.

Earlier this year, OPKO executed a sublicensing deal with IHT to commercialize OPKO’s novel panel of kallikrein biomarkers and associated algorithm (4Kscore™) for the early detection of prostate cancer in a laboratory setting in the UK, Ireland, Sweden and Denmark. The OPKO panel represents the culmination of a decade of research by scientists in Europe and the U.S. and has been demonstrated in over 10,000 patients to predict the probability of cancer-positive biopsies in men suspected of having prostate cancer. Extensive studies have shown that the use of the panel could eliminate a significant number of unnecessary prostate biopsies, a possible reduction of over 50%, along with a high frequency of associated pain, bleeding and infection, sometimes requiring hospitalization. With this significant reduction in biopsy rate, the probability of delaying diagnosis of a high grade cancer is only 0.6% (and this small population of men would be followed with active surveillance).

IHT, through close cooperation with some of the largest private hospitals chains in the UK and abroad, has access to world class private facilities and specialists to provide testing services for corporate clients in the private sector.

“ProstateCheck has been very well received amongst our corporate customers and we have already signed up the first customers,” said Troels Jordansen, Chairman of International Health Technology. “The opportunity to identify high grade prostate cancers and focus clinical interventions on these is of great value to men but also to the health care sectors in general. We have very high expectations for this unique service.”

“The collaborative efforts with IHT have progressed at an impressive rate,” said Phillip Frost, M.D., Chairman and CEO of OPKO Health. “As part of IHT’s ProstateCheck initiative, the 4Kscore™ will provide clinicians with a differentiated critical component in their overall diagnosis of prostate cancer, while providing patients with better and more efficient healthcare.”

1 2 3 Next › Last »