ONI
BioPharma Inc. Licenses Unique Gene Targets for Colorectal
Cancer
ALACHUA,
FL (September 29, 2008) - ONI
BioPharma Inc. (AMEX: “ONI”) announced today that it has entered a Collaboration
Agreement with a major international diagnostics company regarding ONI’s unique
biomarkers for early, middle and late stage colorectal cancer. Terms of the
agreement have not been disclosed.
ONI
BioPharma scientists used its dynamic diagnostic platform, PCMAT, to discover
proteins that are specifically expressed when healthy bowel cells become
cancerous. The discovery of these novel colorectal cancer biomarkers can lead
to
new ways to diagnose and treat this disease. They also can be used to determine
the success or failure of different treatment methods. The Company recently
filed a U.S. patent application covering its collection of novel proteins and
genes that are specifically expressed in colorectal cancer cells. Partial
funding for this project was provided through a competitive Small Business
Innovative Research (SBIR) grant from the National Cancer
Institute.
The
Company’s President and CEO, Stanley B. Stein, stated that, “PCMAT and ONI’s
other diagnostic platform PIVIAT are extremely powerful technologies that can
be
applied to a limitless range of diseases, including those that afflict humans,
animals and plants. This Collaboration Agreement validates the economic value
of
the Company’s PCMAT™ target identification platform technology. The goal is to
provide and test targets that meet a critical worldwide need for better
diagnostic test over the entire range of disease.”
The
Company is currently engaged in a strategic analysis of the business model
for
its diagnostics franchise in order to optimize the shareholder return from
its
powerful PIVIAT and PCMAT platforms. Methods for rapid, in-house validation
of
novel diagnostic targets are being developed and are expected to be in place
in
the second quarter of 2009.
About
Colorectal Cancer
The
Colon
Cancer Alliance estimates that one million people are diagnosed with colorectal
cancer worldwide each year. In the US, it is the second leading cause of cancer
death, underscoring the significant unmet medical need associated with this
type
of cancer. According to a recently published study by Kalorama Information,
the
worldwide market for early cancer detection tests will reach $7.4 billion by
2009, since the demand for such tests will continue to increase as new cancer
cases approach ten million annually.
About
ONI BioPharma Inc.
ONI
BioPharma Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company with a pipeline of unique
proprietary technologies, some of which are being commercialized. The Company
also has a number of products in discovery, preclinical and clinical
development, with a concentration in the main therapeutic area of infectious
diseases, diagnostics, and oral health. The Company has developed platform
technologies with respect to its products, thereby creating a pipeline of future
products, which the Company expects to develop.
Safe
Harbor Statement: Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:
This release includes forward-looking statements that reflect ONI BioPharma’s
current views with respect to future events and financial performance. These
forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions and
information currently available. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,”
“intend,” “estimate,” “project” and similar expressions that do not relate
solely to historical matters identify forward-looking statements. Investors
should be cautious in relying on forward-looking statements because they are
subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could
cause
actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any such
forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to those
set forth in our most recently filed annual report on Form 10-KSB and quarterly
report on Form 10-Q, and other factors detailed from time to time in filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We expressly disclaim any
responsibility to update forward-looking statements.
Contact:
ONI
BioPharma Inc.
Stanley
B. Stein, 386-418-4018 X222
www.onibiopharma.com