Aeterna Zentaris Commences Promotional Activities for APIFINY® Prostate Cancer Blood Test
February 23 2016 - 8:30AM
Business Wire
Aeterna Zentaris Inc. (NASDAQ: AEZS, TSX: AEZ) (the “Company”)
today announced that it has started promoting APIFINY®, the only
cancer specific, non-PSA blood test for the evaluation of the risk
of prostate cancer, in 20 U.S. territories pursuant to its
co-marketing agreement with Armune BioScience, Inc.
Under the co-marketing agreement, the Company will promote
APIFINY to designated medical professionals and will receive a
commission for each test performed resulting from its targeted
promotion. Jude Dinges, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial
Officer of Aeterna Zentaris, commented: “Our sales force has
initiated the promotion of APIFINY, the only cancer specific,
non-PSA based blood test available today. Given its ability to
measure the immune-system response to prostate cancer, we believe
APIFINY represents an important addition to clinical information
for patients and their clinicians pertaining to the risk assessment
for prostate cancer.”
About Prostate Cancer
Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common
cancer in American men. The American Cancer Society predicted that
220,800 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States would
occur in 2015, that there would be 27,540 prostate cancer deaths
during the year and that one man in seven would be diagnosed with
prostate cancer during his lifetime. Approximately 60% of prostate
cancer is diagnosed in men aged 65 or older, and it is rare before
age 40. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death
in American men, behind only lung cancer. Prostate cancer can be a
serious disease, but most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not
die from it. In fact, more than 2.9 million men in the United
States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point
are still alive today.
About APIFINY®
APIFINY is the only cancer-specific, non-PSA blood test that is
designed to aid clinicians in the risk assessment for prostate
cancer. APIFINY technology measures the body’s immune response to
cancer and is based on the measurement of eight
prostate-cancer-specific autoantibodies in human serum. These
autoantibodies are produced and amplified by the immune system in
response to the presence of prostate cancer cells. The
autoantibodies are stable and, because of their amplification, are
likely to be abundant and easy to detect, especially with small
tumors characteristic of early-stage cancers. The autoantibody
markers span a range of biological functions integral to
prostate-cancer progression. Cell cycle, structure, and cellular
signaling pathways are all represented. The use of APIFINY results
supplement other information about a patient’s risk of prostate
cancer and may therefore aid clinicians in the detection of
prostate cancer.
About Armune BioScience
Armune is a medical diagnostics company that develops and
commercializes unique proprietary technology exclusively licensed
from the University of Michigan for diagnostic and prognostic tests
for cancer. The Armune BioScience Laboratory is a commercial
reference laboratory, certified and regulated by the federal
Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) law established
in 1988. The laboratory’s CLIA Certificate permits it to perform
APIFINY and other high-complexity medical tests. Armune, a private
company, has a corporate headquarters in Kalamazoo, MI and a
research and commercial laboratory in Ann Arbor, MI. For more
information, visit www.armune.com.
About Aeterna Zentaris
Aeterna Zentaris is a specialty biopharmaceutical company
engaged in developing and commercializing novel treatments in
oncology, endocrinology and women’s health. We are engaged in drug
development activities and in the promotion of products for others.
We are now conducting Phase 3 studies of two internally developed
compounds. The focus of our business development efforts is the
acquisition of or licenses to products that are relevant to our
therapeutic areas of focus. We also intend to license out certain
commercial rights of internally developed products to licensees in
territories where such out-licensing would enable us to ensure
development, registration and launch of our product candidates. Our
goal is to become a growth-oriented specialty biopharmaceutical
company by pursuing successful development and commercialization of
our product portfolio, achieving successful commercial presence and
growth, while consistently delivering value to our shareholders,
employees and the medical providers and patients who will benefit
from our products. For more information, visit www.aezsinc.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements made
pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the US Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may
include, but are not limited to statements preceded by, followed
by, or that include the words “expects,” “believes,” “intends,”
“anticipates,” and similar terms that relate to future events,
performance, or our results. Forward-looking statements involve
known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause the
Company's actual results to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include,
among others, the availability of funds and resources to pursue
R&D projects and clinical trials, the successful and timely
completion of clinical studies, the risk that safety and efficacy
data from any of our Phase 3 trials may not coincide with the data
analyses from previously reported Phase 1 and/or Phase 2 clinical
trials, the ability of the Company to efficiently commercialize one
or more of its products or product candidates, the ability of the
Company to take advantage of business opportunities in the
pharmaceutical industry, uncertainties related to the regulatory
process, the ability to protect our intellectual property, the
potential of liability arising from shareholder lawsuits and
general changes in economic conditions. Investors should consult
the Company's quarterly and annual filings with the Canadian and US
securities commissions for additional information on risks and
uncertainties relating to forward-looking statements. Investors are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements. The Company does not undertake to update these
forward-looking statements. We disclaim any obligation to update
any such factors or to publicly announce the result of any
revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein
to reflect future results, events or developments, unless required
to do so by a governmental authority or by applicable law.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160223005349/en/
Aeterna Zentaris Inc.Philip A. TheodoreSenior Vice
President843-900-3223ir@aezsinc.com
Aeterna Zentaris (NASDAQ:AEZS)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
Aeterna Zentaris (NASDAQ:AEZS)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024