22.06.09
Lab21 expands its predisposition oncology service portfolio with
A NEW TEST TO DETERMINE SMOKERS’ LUNG CANCER RISK

Cambridge, UK – 22nd June 2009:Lab21, the healthcare diagnostics company, is pleased to announce the launch of a new test to identify smokers and ex-smokers at greatest risk of developing lung cancer.

RespirageneTM is a clinically validated test developed in New Zealand which combines DNA analysis with other known risk factors to provide a simple score showing individual lung cancer risk.

All smokers are at higher risk of lung cancer than non-smokers and research now suggests that smokers often suffer from “optimistic bias” – the belief that bad outcomes happen to other people, not them. But studies show that understanding individual risk can help overcome this bias.

Lung cancer is the most lethal of the common cancers; 50% of those with lung cancer are dead within one year of diagnosis and 80% die within two years.  But lung cancer risk can be lowered by quitting smoking, and research shows survival rates for lung cancer improve dramatically if it is detected early.

The test uses DNA collected from a cheek swab to analyse specific genetic markers that have been shown to be involved in the risk of developing lung cancer. It combines this information with other known risk factors for the disease (age, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and family history of lung cancer) to produce a test score. Those with “High Risk” scores are about four times more likely than an average smoker to get lung cancer; those in the “Very High Risk” category are about 10 times more likely to get lung cancer than the average smoker. Current statistics show that 30% of smokers fall into the high risk and 20% in the very high risk groups.

Dr Berwyn Clarke, Chief Scientific and Development Officer at Lab21, commented: “We believe the availability of this new test will significantly help improve preventive care for those at highest risk of lung cancer, one of the most deadly cancers. There is scientific evidence showing that personal health risk information does influence a smoker’s decision to quit smoking.  Furthermore, we know earlier detection greatly improves patient survival rates when the cancer is discovered at less advanced stages. Obviously, knowing who’s at greatest risk could have a significant impact on the incidence and clinical management of lung cancer in the UK. The launch of Respiragene™ further enhances the extensive predictive testing portfolio of Lab21 and we look forward to further expansion of our portfolio in this area.”

The test was developed by Lab 21’s partner Synergenz Bioscience Ltd, based on research by its clinical director Dr. Robert Young. He is a practising clinician with extensive hospital experience in the UK, Hong Kong and New Zealand. He has treated thousands of patients with lung cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) developed as a result of their smoking habits.  He is also highly trained in molecular genetics and has undertaken numerous genetic epidemiological studies during the past sixteen years.

“The test results may help patients decide, with their doctor,  to quit and decide how closely they should be monitored for lung cancer going forward,” Dr Young says, adding that many ex-smokers remain at risk of lung cancer, despite having broken their habit in the past.

The test can be ordered by contacting Lab 21 by email at info@lab21.com, by phone on 01223 395 450 or by visiting the website at www.lab21.com .  Smokers or ex-smokers must discuss taking the test first with their doctor, or with a genetic counsellor recommended by Lab21.

Lab21 and Dr Young will be attending the UK National Smoking Cessation Conference in London on June 22 and 23 2009.

For further information:
Lab21
Graham Mullis, CEO
Maddy Kennedy, CFO
Dr Berwyn Clarke, CSDO
t: +44 (0)1223 395461
e: graham.mullis@lab21.com
maddy.kennedy@lab21.com
berwyn.clarke@lab21.com

For media and investor enquiries:
Buchanan Communications
Mark Court / Rebecca Skye Dietrich / Katharine Sutton
t: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000
e: markc@buchanan.uk.com
rebeccad@buchanan.uk.com

Notes to Editors:

In the UK one person dies of lung cancer almost every 15 minutes.  Lung cancer is the most common cause of death from cancer, responsible for 24% of male deaths from cancer and 20% of female cancer deaths, according to Cancer Research UK. In 2005, the UK had >38,500 new cases of Lung Cancer. It is the second most common cancer in men and third in women. While there are more cases of lung cancer diagnosed in men, the numbers of women being diagnosed is increasing more rapidly. Lung cancer incidence and mortality rates were among the highest in the world but smoking cessation has lead to record falls, particularly among men. In 2007 there were ~35,000 deaths due to lung cancer. Around 90% of lung cancers in men and 83% in women are estimated to be caused by smoking. Current smokers are 15 times more likely to die from lung cancer than life-long non-smokers. The risk of developing lung cancer is affected by level of consumption and duration of smoking.

 
About Lab 21:  Lab21 is a global provider of state-of-the-art diagnostic products and services, supporting blood bank screening, medical diagnostics and drug discovery. Its customers include international healthcare providers, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
The service division has a growing test portfolio providing companion diagnostics and high technology molecular assays for the growing integration of personalised medicine into healthcare. These services are currently in infectious diseases, oncology and pharmacogenetics areas with emerging interests in cardiovascular and metabolic disease.

The product division of the Company manufactures immunodiagnostic kits and reagents that are distributed into 110 international countries and is focused on infectious diseases for the blood-banking market.

Lab21's clinical reference laboratory and corporate office is based in Cambridge and has additional UK manufacturing sites in Newmarket, Bridport and Ipswich. It also has R&D operations in Cape Town, South Africa. The Company's investors include Merlin Biosciences, Nexus Medical Partners, Medicis Capital, Rowan Dartington and Kreos Capital.
Website:  www.lab21.com

About Synergenz:  Synergenz BioScience Ltd is a leader in genomic tests for respiratory medicine. It was formed in 2004 to further develop technologies first discovered by Dr Robert Young in research conducted at The University of Auckland in New Zealand, where research continues in collaboration with leading researchers and the company's commercial partners around the world.