Novel Serum Biomarker for Cancer Based on Fatty Acid Synthase

"Current serum biomarkers for cancer do not approach the ideal of >95% sensitivity and specificity. Tumor-associated fatty acid synthase (FAS) has been identified as an immunohistochemical marker potentially useful in monitoring tumor aggressiveness andpredicting disease course. FASgen Diagnostics intends to develop a serum-based assay for FAS. In a 1st generation format, FASgen's 2-site ELSIA has detected significantly (p<0.01) increased levels of FAS in sera from patients from the following cancer:breast (83%), prostate (55%), colon (90%) and ovarian (40%). Phase I work produced FAS-binding McAbs which are being used to configure a 2nd generation SeroFAS assay. Prototype SeroFAS Assay kits will be produced and tested during Phase II. While theremay exist subsets of cancer patients who do not elaborate FAS into this sera, FASgen believes that the sensitivity, possibly the specificity, and the commercializability will be much improved by using optimized capture and detection reagents."